Being Human - The Next Chapter
by forevercharmed01
Summary: Ripped from family and thrust into world that's slowly becoming her nightmare. Regina finds her life turning more desolate with every waking failure. In a land without magic and out on her own can she struggle with what she pretends to be in order to navigate the new world and find the others, and at the same time stop herself from falling apart before she does.
1. The New World

**Well here it is at last - the first chapter to the sequel.**

**Sorry it took a while to put up, life got in the way and I have also been writing the first few chapters. But yeah here it is anyway so I hope you all enjoy.**

**I do not own OUAT and if I could remember who did then I would give them full credit but as I can't think at this time - I'm just going to say some lucky dudes. **

**Happy reading. :)**

**PS - if there are any mistakes the I apologize profusely, I'm not sure hen it did but things have changed and for the life of me I cannot find the spell check when it comes to editing anymore - its gone ... well to me it has,**

**But if anyone does know where it is and is kind enough to tell me than you would be my favourite person, until then just ignore that might be wrong please - thank you.**

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><p>Placing her pen down she rested against the back of her chair exhaling heavily as she rolled her neck getting all the days kinks and whatever knots had formed out of her tired body. She stared hard at the computer screen in front of her – such a weird, blocky thing yet it helped when it came to writing her words. In the beginning when it came to writing up her days work she was all for using the good old quill and parchment.<p>

Only to realise that this world didn't have quills – well they did but according to one of the people she deigned talking to, who in their right mind would use such backwards methods of writing anymore. Laughing they didn't see her murderous expression at being called backwards and silently – for the thousandth time in that year and the many she had been in this world, she cursed the fact she no longer had use of her magic.

He would have not been living much less chuckling if she had. Oh how she missed her magic. It was another of the reasons she hated this place – that and the fact she had to revert back to basics - starting from the bottom and learning her way around. The door to her office opened and she looked around to see Mira poke her head around.

"Drinks at Donny's you in?"

Nodding she sat upright in her chair and began to wearily clear her things. One small silver lining about this world – they did have nice drinks, not that it got her drunk as she found that out of all the things she had lost – the ability to sink others under and out the door still held firm. It made for a great party bet and a good way to hustle people of their money.

She stood and reached for her bag, slinging it over her shoulder she spied the shake of her head from the blonde. "What?"

"You and those bags, why don't you get a handbag like me? They're so much more practical and it would show you are a woman." Regina scoffed as she moved around the desk and headed for the door. She used her knee to bump the other woman out of the way as she shut the door and locked it.

"Use one of those clunky rock holders? No thanks. Besides, this is much easier to use and I like the design." She pinged the strap with a small grin to show her example earning an eye roll as they strolled the hall. As they turned the corner a hand pulled on her arm forcing her to stop.

"Oh, hang on a moment – forgot something." With that Mira turned and made her way to her own office. Regina stood in the middle watching her go, normally when someone touched her without permission that persons said offending limb would be ripped off leaving them in intense agony and her with a good sense of satisfaction.

Of course that could happen here. Oh she could have very well done so if she wanted, her strength had never left her, but she couldn't give herself away like that and so along with many other changes forced by the upturn of her world – she had to play something she had taken great revulsion in long before now.

She had to play mortal.

And so she had – very well to, she was after all a fantastic manipulator and such had fooled the little people around her into thinking she was as normal as the rest of them. It was why she had surrounded herself with so many of the at times – horrible pests, the only true person she had any close proximity with, willingly, was the blonde who was smiling as she walked back to her.

"Sorry about that," Regina merely smiled as they carried back on their way to the exit. At first she had taken an immediate dislike to any and all that was brave enough to try and make conversation with her when she had started at this little newspaper office. As soon as they had learned from the biting remarks and icy glares sent their way, they quickly scurried back to their desks.

Word it seemed was just as quick to spread as it was to put down on paper as soon she found herself being given a wide berth by everyone. Something she greatly enjoyed and for the few months after, took delight in the solitude she had been given. Of course it wasn't to last and that peaceful bliss was broken in the form of Mira.

The blonde had come back from a three month news mission in the Far East to find the new addition sequestered - at her own admittance – in the dark corner, scowling menacingly at those who disturbed her peace. Of course there was the gossip and the small conversations about her less than pleasant personality from those far away from her to speak, as well as the small looks of disdain at being snubbed by her.

Mira had automatically been intrigued and tried to strike up a conversation on an off chance meeting in the canteen. She smiled, hand out in front of her as Regina stared silently back in return. Finally and without any subtly Regina gave her a slow and very critical once over before rolling her eyes and moving away, leaving the outstretched hand wanting.

Others who had been spying through the window and witnessed the blatant dismissal instantly scorned the younger woman for her actions against one of their senior journalists who had been working in the newsroom far longer than she. Instead of following route and taking part in the badmouthing of the new junior assistant, Mira found herself more taken in by her.

So she did what she did best – observed, she studied the younger woman who had voluntarily ostracized herself – watched from the side-lines taking in her behaviour, quirks, actions everything she could until two weeks later when she finally came to a conclusion.

She didn't know.

She had never seen such an entangled conundrum wrapped up in a ball of twine. It confused her to say the least but never being one to leave something unanswered, she did her best to place a marker on the mystery that was Regina.

No one actually knew her second name as she had never given it – strange but seeing as no one had bothered to pester her for it the question went unanswered, another puzzle waiting to be solved.

But she came to the understanding that not every piece was meant to fit – not every picture was clear until the taker was sure about their intended focus. She knew that the younger woman was still in the middle of those blurred lines, which was what led her to at least a part deduction if nothing else.

The younger woman wasn't anti-social because she didn't know how to interact with others – that was painstakingly clear when she yelled at Trever – the copy boy who almost wet himself for being the sole focus of her very scary ire, the poor boy nearly passed out before she snarled and brushed past him leaving him thankfully alone to gather his courage and dignity from the floor.

Being only a junior, she really didn't have the right to be shouting at anyone. But along with her viperous attitude and venomous words, the younger woman held herself as if she were a CEO and not just an upstarting journalist. So being unable to talk to others wasn't the reason for her seemingly horrendous attitude towards her co-workers.

She was hurting.

On the rare occasions the younger woman did show emotion. Her face was often mournful, her eyes, a deep sadness that seemed to seep from her mocha – almost black orbs right through to the rest of her body, it was those times Mira saw the younger woman for the actual human being she was and not the heartless ice witch they had taken to calling her behind her back.

Not that she suspected the younger woman of giving a crap but she still couldn't help but picture the look of sorrow on her face when she thought no one around, the times when she went into her own head and came up with whatever it was to make her feel like that.

It was obvious she had suffered loss. A very big one by the looks of things but one she would never let anyone see or know about. She hid her feelings extremely well but Mira had seen all she needed to.

Which was why she had surprised Regina the following Monday and shocked the rest by sitting at the line table at the far end of the canteen in which the resident brooder lurked. Chatter had died down the instant the tray hit the table and everyone turned to see the pair, Regina had paused in her eating and turned to see the person crazy enough to sit next to her.

She saw Mira's smiling face and arched a perfectly manicured brow in return. Not taken at all by the look the older blonde proceeded to sit at the side of her and pick up her fork. Mindful of the other idiots whose eyes bore into their backs Regina waited a few seconds before coughing.

"Yes."

"What do you think you're doing?"

Unperturbed Mira glances around – still with her annoying smile before replying. "I'm sitting down having lunch. It's what dinner break is about."

Pursing her lips not at all liking the smart remark she tries a different tactic. "Understandable, at least you're competent enough to know the meaning, well done – but what I meant was, you're sitting at my table."

Mira nods liking the fact that she had said more to her than any other in the five months she had been there. "Indeed I' am it's a free country you know – democracy and all that."

Placing down her fork she folds her hands together taking a deep breath. The woman was infuriating and the flippant smirk is just itching to be smacked off, the entire canteen in still focusing on them wondering when it will be that the blonde will give up or the raven haired one snaps.

"Not at this table dear, this is a dictatorship and I happen to like being the one woman ruler." The pointed look is telling her to leave – to take her tray and remove her presence from the vicinity. Not that she paid attention – she had been in the middle of the Persian Gulf War reporting from near the front lines.

A lone woman with a devil of an attitude problem wasn't going to scare her off as she smiled and nodded letting her know her message was accepted, before being denied.

"Well to bad, you've just been invaded."

It was from that moment on the two became something of associates. The others couldn't believe when they saw the raven haired woman concede – though after much bitching and sniping of words but didn't move away or try again as she got back to her dinner. It was from there that Mira would join her for lunch at twelve on the dot every day for the rest of the week and every one after right up until the day they learned about the diner down the street.

Of course Regina never let her in – even after them being friends for two years, Mira still never learnt more than what the younger woman told her, she had tried of course – she had wheedled and nudged and hinted, even offering her own life story as a trade.

But of course Regina had never uttered a word about her life before arriving at the office. Who her family was or where she was from – it had in equal terms bugged the blonde to no end but no matter what she did she couldn't get her friend to open up.

Leaving the building the make their way down the street conversation is sparse as they walk. The air is mild, hinting at the possibility of rain but it's still something Regina likes all the same. Sunshine has never been a big yes in her book as Mira pushes on the door to the small café they had faithfully been coming to for the past several months.

She nudges the other woman to the direction of the empty booth that has been theirs for as long as they could remember, it seems that in spite of the many different people that visit the café day in day out – they to seem to know and so it has always been left alone as Regina slides into the seat.

She's joined by Mira minutes later as she slides in the seat across from her; Regina lifts her head to see a pondering expression on Mira's face.

"What's wrong?"

The blonde looks up before shaking her head. "It's nothing really just Matthew telling me before we left. A baby was found abandoned in a bin with only a few sheets of newspaper to keep it warm. I mean, I know we hear about all sorts everyday – war, hunger – people killing others. But when did it get so bad that people would literally throw a baby in the trash like it was an empty milk carton."

She lets her eyes fall back to the table and shakes her head sadly. Something Regina was grateful for as had she bothered to look up at her friend again she would have noticed the slightly paling of her usually tanned skin.

The words – those two really took her right back to a time she would have much liked to have forgotten. Six years in fact – the last time she laid eyes on the baby she had essentially done the same thing to.

_Landing hard on her back, Regina fought the urge to curse as the harsh ground dug into her skin. Eyes still closed she tried to work out the last ten minutes of her life that had just literally changed everything. The one thing she could make out though was the cold air that was blowing against her face, so opening her eyes she was puzzled to find she was outside._

_That couldn't be seeing as the last thing she remembered was being inside a closet. Her mind went back to those last few minutes she spent in the company of both Charming and Snow and growled under her breath when she realized that it was they who had done this to her, she was also aware of her holding something._

_Something that was making a hell of a lot of noise, peering down she eyed the small bundle of blankets in her grasp that was lying on her chest. _

_Emma._

_It was coming back to her more now - how she and Charming were trying to keep the black guard from entering the room and fending off those that had. Once she had seen to the last one she turned to find the pair at the large wardrobe that had been a gift at the celebration of the baby's birth._

_It also held a double purpose due to the Blue fairies warning on arriving and telling them about the rumours of the curse. The court was up in arms panicking. When Snow eventually told her and Ruby about the patron fairies words, none of them had said anything – Ruby was worried this was understandable,_

_Regina however was confused. The only people she knew who could perform such curses were herself, Mal, any magic user powerful enough and as far as she knew she had gotten rid of the only one who might have posed such a threat. _

_She went back and told the older woman who looked pensive at the news of the curse. She herself never said anything just like she hadn't but her mind was already at work, the only one who she knew had the means and the power to pull of such a thing was the Imp, but to what motive?_

_She didn't speak of the dark one to the younger woman but she did make a half-hearted suggestion that she would try to find out who it was that would enact such a thing. Naturally the younger sorceress, by now having known the blonde long enough to work out her tones and facial expressions didn't believe her._

_Oh she knew that she would try to find out, but whether she would tell her would be a waiting game. Why she would feel the need to keep it from here when it would affect them all was only an answer the blonde could give, but she doubted she would for that either, if she wanted any chance at all, of finding out who the person behind it would end up being, she had to go find them herself._

_Unfortunately she never got the chance as it appeared the Blue fairy was wrong. Either that or whoever it was discovered people were finding about the curse, either way on her and Ruby's last visit to the castle was the day the curse was cast – Ruby had gone with the Huntsman to the lower level to try and stop them leaving the other woman with the Queen and King consort._

_Why she didn't go when she was the stronger one she would never know. Maybe Ruby knew about Snow's plan, maybe she knew that if any did manage to get past them then Regina would be the ultimate stumbling block, she could only guess, but it didn't help her much._

_Getting slowly to her feet she was cursing Charming with all she had and how he had tricked her, well it was Snow that had done that he was just the muscle keeping her from getting out of the wardrobe._

_Normally impossible as nothing short of Mal in her dragon form could so but with a baby in her arms she found it hard to turn around much less push on the doors. The noise was deafening, the baby screaming, the air filed with magic that seemed to whip and tear around them. Snow in the background calling out for her husband._

_It didn't help that all was dark as the doors began to bang and rattle. She so wanted to get out, to find out what was happening but it seemed that the curse had hit the castle and made its way inside as the windows shattered. She could only try calm the still crying babe as much as she could as soon she heard nothing._

_No Snow, no fighting no nothing. Just pitch darkness and the wails of the blanketed baby in her arms. She had no idea how long she as in that wardrobe for, half her mind was telling her that this curse might have just been a fake – a hoax in order to make a fool out of everyone, a joke of sorts._

_It wouldn't be the first time the dam bugs had tricked her, but then her other half – the more rational was telling her this was real. The magic was far too potent to be anything the fairies could conjure up. It was something along the lines of what Mal would do._

_Maleficent,_

_All at once her mind focused on the older woman. Her heart instantly clenched in her chest at the thought of her friend, family, the only person in her life she held in high regard other than Ruby._

_Where was she? Was she alright? She knew the curse to have hit her as the last time she had seen the direction of the large green and black cloud, it was a stone's throw away from the mountain and so chances that the older woman had escaped was slim. In a way she was glad, the selfish part of her was thankful that whatever this curse did, they would all be together._

_Only she realized with a heavy heart that she wouldn't be. The wardrobe was made from the last enchanted tree in the realm – its magic properties were resistant to others magic, curses included._

_This was why they tricked her into holding the baby, to putting the dam child into the wardrobe – to ultimately getting pushed in with her, but why?_

_Why not Snow. Surely being Emma's Mother Snow would have wanted to keep her safe. Wasn't family always important or some other nonsense she was prattling on about that she never listened to, so why did they choose her to go in with her, _

_Another question she wouldn't know. Not until she found them and she would find them. If not for the fact she owed Charming a punch in the face for his actions but also to find her own family. _

_But at that moment in time she needed to find out where it was she was, where the wardrobe had taken them as she looked around, still keeping the crying baby close._

_It was a forest. The closet had taken to a wood. Part of her perked up, maybe it was a forest within the realm. Sherwood, possibly even the infinite one if that was the case then it would take mere seconds for her to get back to the castle. _

_That thought quickly vanished as suddenly the weirdest noise she had heard in a long time roared into life. She jumped startling the baby who had started to cry after only just settling down into small whimpers. Regina looked for the source of the noise feeling the first tendrils of fear creeping up._

_Normally she would have no such problem. Fear was something long since gone from her repertoire of emotions but now with the noise growing in both sound and distance she couldn't help but feel the first cold spikes in a long time. It wasn't so much for her but for the baby, if it indeed was some predator honing in on their location then she couldn't exactly put her down to fight._

_But she needn't have worried too much. That saying it wasn't comforting either for movement had her turning to the sky as her jaw dropped on seeing the strangest looking thing soaring overhead, it flew like a dragon but it was no dragon she had ever seen. Dropping her head back down, she scanned the area again now knowing this wasn't the enchanted land._

_Where the hell was she? Taking a breath she closed her eyes but it was pointless. Emma was crying to loud for her to think and so gathering what bravery she had she took her first, shaky step into what would become in her words, 'the new world' and set off trying to find someone or something that could help her work out where she was._

_Her journeying took her to a path that looked like it had been put there. Not one that had been naturally carved out, frowning she decided to follow the inserted track until she came out and stumbled onto something not even her wildest dreams could come up with – slowly she began to walk again as her eyes took in what she would later come to learn was a car, _

_But right now it was a shiny tin monster – it looked tin, the metal people would use as cups. She was so confused and so her steps were cautious as she approached the red coloured, wheelie thing. Eyes narrow she took tiny steps closer until she arrived at the window. There she scattered back like a deer as at the side of her a loud blaring noise had her turning her head to the side._

_There was another one of the tinny monstrosities, expect this was moving. She stared at the lights that were shining at her from the front as the noise blared again. She jumped to the side as the moving thing rolled by, she was shocked to find someone was riding the horror as the man inside looked at her as he passed._

_He mouthed something from behind the window looking angry. She stared in silence and in her own horror not daring to move until he sped up and looked to the front again before racing off. She breathed in sharp and deeply, her heart racing and her mind whirling. _

_Just where the hell was this nightmare land she had come to and where were the others. Feeling Emma squirm she knew she had to get her out of the cold air that was biting. Whilst she couldn't feel it as much as another she knew the baby wouldn't really last long if she stayed and so looked up and down the road._

_In the not to distance she spied what seemed to be a shack of some kind and so decided to set off for there. Maybe she could get someone to tell her this land without making it look like she was nuts, hoisting the baby a little higher and wrapping the blanket around her small frame she started on her walk again._

_Coming closer she realized that it wasn't just a mere 'shack' of sorts – but then again she hadn't been in this place fifteen minutes and she had seen two things that frankly terrified her so to now look upon yet another shiny metal building was already beginning to not surprise her, carefully she looked at the large words that lay on top in big, bold, blocky and yet again red letters._

"_Diner," She tilted her head at the unusual word and musing about how they had missed an m out before dropping her gaze to see inside. From what she could tell it was just like a tavern in the small villages around the mountain. She could see people sitting inside eating; normally the sight of food was enough to make her feel hungry just by proxy, but right now food was the last thing on her mind._

_But it wasn't for Emma, who was doing something odd to her chest. Regina glanced down to see the small mouth opening as she nuzzled the breast area, lifting a brow in confusion and not having the faintest clue what she was doing, she carefully pulled the questing mouth away from her body._

_Well that didn't sit right with her at all and all at once the tiny face scrunched up at having been denied what she wanted. Regina sighed as the crying picked up once more and frowned when the first drop of water landed on her cheek. She looked up only to get soaked as without warning, the sky's opened up and drenched her with its raining fury._

_Again the rain and cold didn't bother her but for the baby; her blanket was getting soaked so she quickly hurried over to the steps and inside the truck stop. She stopped on entering to see that people were staring at her, fighting the urge to sneer she lowered her head and moved to where an empty table lay as she sat down._

_She glanced back down to the baby now muffling her sorrow as she re-arranged the shawl so the parts that were wet wasn't covering her, she placed the tiny tot in front of her as she eyed her appearance._

_The wispy blonde hair that covered her head, the brightness of her blue eyes, the seemingly already strong jaw – clearly all of this was Charming. How Snow must have been dismayed. She hoped that the other woman was put down by the fact her child didn't look a thing like her and so hoped wherever she was, that had stayed with her._

"_You alright there young lady,"_

_Instantly bringing Emma to her chest again, Regina lifted her head to find the same coloured eyes though much dimmer looking at her, she eyed the older woman in front of her who strangely reminded her of Granny before nodding lightly._

"_Yes, thank you—" She was cut off and looked back down to find that Emma had succeeded in partly getting what she wanted and both looked on at the small baby mouthing her breast through her shirt. What the hell was it this baby was doing? Seeing the perplexed look she was sporting, the waitress spoke._

"_She's hungry"_

_Lifting her head Regina didn't speak but she looked back at her, the older woman lowered her eyes once more to the grasping tot. "She want's food,"_

_Still looking blankly at her the other woman sighed. "Milk, you know – what new mothers produce, normally we don't allow that kinda thing in here – makes the customers a tad uncomfortable. But if you want there is a room round back you can feed her."_

_Regina hadn't the foggiest on what she was on about. Feeding a baby with milk Mothers make – was she insane. People couldn't make milk, cows did that – goats did that, humans most certainly did not._

_Or did they?_

_Now that she thought about it, there was something that came to mind, very faintly though. She had been on one of her 'visits' to see Snow with Ruby – but really she was there to plunder the royal kitchens which never failed to have a good choice of everything and so on her return she stepped into the room in time to hear a conversation about the baby._

_Of course it was about the bloody baby. Every visit was Ruby was sitting on the bed next to a beaming Snow who had a hand tenderly on the large swell of her stomach. She had one time cried for the duration of their visit and wept to Ruby that she was fat._

_The wolf woman did her best to soothe her friend, telling her she looked glowing and that it wasn't fat merely the joyous symptoms of what carrying a baby entailed. She glared at Regina who snorted and bit into her sandwich to cover her noise of disagreement only to make things worse when Snow then looked to her and asked her opinion._

_Seeing the pointed look Ruby gave her she rolled her eyes and said she wasn't fat. Her statement was rewarded with the biggest smile ever given by the young royal who promptly perked up considerably. Finishing off what was in her mouth Regina than added that she was more rotund than fat. _

_That apparently wasn't the right thing to say and soon she found herself exiled from the room by Ruby who had honest to god growled at her as Snow's waterworks kicked up a notch. But before that she had heard them discussing… stuff._

_Such stuff was the issue of wet nursing. Ruby asked if she was going to get one and Snow shook her head. She had said that nothing brought a baby and mother closer the feeding. At the time Regina hadn't truly been listening, but the words did give her an amusing image and so she had simply smirked much to Ruby's ire._

_She hadn't thought much of it as it was something that she had zero interest in, but now on coming out of her thoughts to find the older lady still looking, the fact that Emma kept trying to nip her cuddly area – she was starting to think that Snow bringing a deviant into the world was not the right thought to have at that moment._

_Maybe the right thought to have was how screwed she was in terms of not actually having milk to give._

_She went to open her mouth to speak, but doesn't get to as the other woman holds her hand up, blinking in confusion she can only watch as the woman then leans over and takes a peek at the baby._

_She hums to herself for a moment inspecting the tot still oblivious to the look Regina wears before nodding. "She might be old enough for some milk from a bottle."_

_She then turns back to look at the woman holding her, suddenly feeling violated the dark haired woman looks back a hint of a scowl on her face but it didn't do much to stop to the slight disproving gaze and the small tut the other woman issues before turning. _

"_Think we might have a spare leftover." With that she walks off. Regina exhales heavily and sits back, its only then she feels gazes on her and opens her eyes again to find people staring._

_Its side glances but stares nonetheless. What's worse is they are judgemental, she narrows her eyes at the people who clearly think her to be the child's Mother – having nothing but the clothes they came in with and strange clothes at that, she knew what she was wearing was a far cry different from their own equally weird clothing._

_But to her it's just the usual white shirt and riding pants, along with calf high boots. Sure she had a jacket but silly her, wasn't expecting a curse that day she thought it safe to leave it in Snow's chambers._

_How idiotic._

_If she had a free hand all of them would be so very far away from her, preferably a cliff. She sighed again just as the lady comes back. "Here."_

_Her voice is kinder this time, less clipped and more like a helpful family member. She looks to the bottle filled with milk and reaches out slowly taking it from her hand._

"_Thank you." Her tone is low barely inaudible as the older woman nods and slides into the seat over from her, Regina looks at her but the other woman just nods to the baby who clearly can smell like some kind of hunting hound and is on the alert for food as she brings the top of the bottle to her lips, she watches with curious fascination as Emma gums the top and begins to suckle._

"_Not from around here, are you?"_

_She looks back to the older woman who is studying her as she shakes her head. "Got any family nearby," She suspected not and was right when she gave a shake of her head._

_From the looks of her the older woman had to guess she was from somewhere south, a first of appearance would be new Mexico – her skin tone was far too dark for a place so Midwest but she was probably being to forward in her assumptions she also didn't think the child to be actually hers, again simple reason that their skin tones didn't match, nor did their eye colours._

_She tried to get some semblance of conversation out of the younger woman but didn't get much – a few words at best and even then it was made hard by the lowness of her voice. _

_Did she even speak American?_

_All her questions were doing nothing for Regina's mood. In fact all they did were to further remind her of the fact that she was alone in this world, the only that she had was her clothes and the baby in front of her – nothing else. She stared at the small baby suckling contently and knew that it wasn't going to work._

_She couldn't look after her, not when her mind wasn't in the right place to process the fact that her home had been ripped from her, her family had been taken and she didn't know if she would ever find her again. Fighting the urge to cry – even in times of complete vulnerability she refused to show her weakness._

_But she had to get out of that place, she had to go, she had to run and try to find some sense of sanity lest she lose it all sitting in a road side diner with a small baby and an old woman staring at her, something is pushed in front of her breaking her from her thought of flight as she lets her gaze turn._

"_You look like you need it dear." She smiles weakly and mumbles her thanks, on taking a sip she's heard pressed not to spit it out – she had some horrible stuff in her life but this was surely one of the worst. The waitress chuckles as she watches the younger woman almost choke on the coffee but swallow it down like it was poison._

"_Not a coffee fan." Never heard of the thing in her life but she couldn't say that so simply nodded. She felt bad considering she had not really cared before but she gave her a small apologetic look which she waved off._

"_That's ok it's not everyone's liking, bit of a marmite cause really." Again no clue what that was but she stayed silent. The overwhelming urge to flee was getting greater with every second and so knowing it was now or never, she glanced back down to the baby who was now snuggling back in her blanket, ready to sleep now the milk was gone and tiredness was setting in._

_She gazed at the tiny face, so completely innocent and oblivious to anything but her own basic needs. She wouldn't remember this, the moment that she would be left here – she had the luxury of being the only one would grow up with a new start in a world that was unknown and without any idea of where it was she actually came from and just who her parents really are._

_The other woman watched her face intently, the way she stared at the baby, with a sort of resigned sadness it was a little intrusive of her to look on but she just sits and waits._

_After a few minutes of taking in the last thing that she would hold of her beloved home she decides to put her plan into action. She could tell the woman had already given her the once over, trying to work out who she was and why she was holding a baby, she also wasn't stupid enough to actually think Emma was her own._

_In terms of looks they were the opposite in every way, so if she were to simply walk out now it would cause too much of a fuss to get away quickly and so slowly rising to her feet all the while under the eye of the older woman, she makes a show of contemplating her next course of action._

"_Is something wrong dear?" She twists her lip before looking back to the waitress who is looking at her concerned. "I was just wondering which way the—"_

_She pauses. Was the chamber room the same name here? She doubted it somehow and so coughed in a bid to try distract her, the other woman looks a little confused but speaks as if to finish her question._

"_The bathroom" She supplies helpfully as Regina blinked. Was that what is was called? Either way she needed to go and so nodded. "Yes, but I'm not sure what to do."_

_She looks down pointedly at the snoozing baby, "Do I take her with me or should I just leave her here." She plays ignorant before turning and moving to put Emma on the seat only to be stopped by the older woman who nearly jumps from her seat at seeing the tiny bit of negligence. _

"_NO! No – here darling, let me hold her while you go." She turns and looks innocently on at her but hands her over nonetheless, as soon as Emma is out of her hands that's it, she knows now that it will be the last she sees of her Snow would hate her and Charming may try to kill her but she couldn't look after her._

"_Thank you; I'll be a few minutes." She gives her one last grateful smile and rushes away from the pair; she searches for what could be the bathroom and comes across two doors. One has gentlemen on it the other ladies and so knows now which one it is, pushing on the door she gives the diner one last look before disappearing into the other room._

_Coming to a stop in the middle, she takes another deep breath before trying to think of a place to go, the first place they landed was all that came to mind and so thinking hard of the area and its surroundings, she wills her magic to take her back._

_Only to find it wasn't working. Opening her eyes once more she finds herself still in the small room, right, magic not working…another side effect of the curse no doubt… fantastic_

_For some strange reason she can't find it in herself at that moment to care. The only thing on her mind is to leave and so looking to the window she frowns on seeing it locked with bars._

"_What is this? A restroom or a cell," She muttered but walks over to the only way out other than the door. Running a hand down the vertical pieces of metal she lets her hands wrap around the thin rods. Closing her eyes she breathes in deeply for a moment before pulling, it doesn't take a lot but with one harsh tug – the small grate that covers the window breaks free from the wall._

_Smiling she takes a step back and places the grate on the floor at the side. Her magic wasn't working but she still had her strength, weird but welcoming as she wastes no time in undoing the latch on the window and pushing it open. Lifting her leg she climbs out and drops to the ground underneath._

_Looking round she spots the road she came and makes a run for it across the small parking space were more of those metal abominations say in wait. She carefully dodges the horrid things and comes a stop at the edge of the road. Gathering her breath for a moment she jumps as a blaring sound, much louder than before rips the air and she turns around only to nearly faint._

_There in front of her is a monster far bigger than that of those smaller wheelie things. This was twice the size of her and far bigger in width. She eyes the strange creature very carefully, almost itching to fight it but knew she couldn't instead she carefully steps out of its way as it moves slowly forward._

_Still watching it she blinks when it stops in front of her and the side of it opens to reveal a man – 'the one who controls it' she thought as he looks down from his spot behind the wheel._

"_You ok there?"_

_His accent is something she could barely hear. Tilting her head she tries to place it or at least make sense of where in the enchanted land it sounded like most before he speaks again._

"_You lost or something." At that she nods. "Or something," Nodding at her reply he looks out to the road he is heading and narrows his eyes, turning back he gives her another look before adding._

"_You heading in my direction. I could drop you off somewhere." _

_Not replying for a moment she takes a few minutes to think over his offer, sure she had no idea who he was, could be a mass murderer waiting for his next target, he certainly had the beard for it, but it was most likely the only offer she was going to get before someone noticed she had gone – if they hadn't already and so making her mind up, she nods._

"_Thank you, that would be good" He nods once giving her a strange look as she looks at the huge beast he controls before he leans down to give her a hand up, she sits tentatively in the seat next to him mindful of the still baffled look he is giving her, shaking his head he waits until she shuts the door before pressing on the gas._

_She has to fight the second urge to jump down and run as soon as the large wheel monster moves but holds firm. At the side of the metal tin is a mirror, something that puzzles her but she sees the diner getting smaller and smaller as they get further away._

_She tries hard not to think of the small baby she had effectively abandoned but she had one goal now in mind – to find the others, she knew it was a huge feat if bordering the impossible. If they hadn't arrived in this land then she would waste her days trying._

_A life no baby should have to have and also she would slow her down. At least now Emma had the chance to start afresh; she was doing this for her. That was the mantra she kept in her head as soon as the diner vanished from sight. _

The small clinking had her looking down as her mind moves on from that day she as saw anything of Emma to see her salad placed in front of her – she gives one small fleeting thought to the little girl who would be six now.

She hoped wherever she was that the small girl was ok. That she had found a loving home it was the best she could think to ease the thought of betraying Snow – the one who had obliviously saw fit to trust her over Ruby, something that still puzzled her to this day but it wasn't like she was any closer to finding her or that answer.

Not making a comment to her rhetorical question she merely picks up her fork and places a slice of cucumber in her mouth. "The baby is ok though isn't it?"

Mira looks at her for a moment before nodding. "Yeah someone called the social services and they came and took her away before god forbid anything bad happened."

Regina simply nods, using the guise of chewing so she could stop herself from scoffing in irony – another girl, it's like the past wants to keep coming back to haunt her. They make small talk with Mira talking about her friends upcoming party its always made her wonder if Regina had any other friends apart from herself.

Did she have a social life or did she go home each night and stay cooped up indoors. Its things like this that have her itching to find out what's in her head; she's no phycologist but the stuff that must be inside. She imagines it to be like drawers, with extra holding spaces, if her head is anything like how she conducts herself on the outside then her mind must be bloody immaculate.

"That sounds nice for you dear." She adds nonchalantly keeping her eyes focused on the salad in front of her and missing the eye roll from Mira. The blonde stares at the younger woman sneakily for a moment a grin forming on her lips as Regina doesn't notice at all before crossing her fingers together.

"You know the Ola Lola bar down in West village is having a fiestas patronales," Regina kept her gaze on the plate. "Is that so?"

"Celebrating the saints of festivals – all that sort of thing,"

"Hmm-mm" Mira fell silent as she waited for her friend to look up, Regina did so only when she was in the middle of chewing her tomato. "What?"

"Well aren't you going to go" Dark eyes narrowed as she finished her bite. "Why would I?"

Fixing the raven haired woman with a quizzical look she replied." Because it's in celebration of your home – you're heritage." It took her a few seconds but eventually it hit her, feigning a smile she displays a fake look of sudden realization to cover the actual fact she forgot.

As part of her back story into her life in this new world and in the middle of getting to know the people that inhabited the place she had come to learn about the countries and continents, the names and the languages. It also had come to her attention that a lot of people she did speak to on her travels had thought her foreign.

Having absolutely no idea what that meant she had to go look it up in a building she found were they kept the books. She searched for the word as she couldn't very well go ask at the desk. Once she had she read the term to class what it meant and frowned. What was so bad about coming from another country? After all wasn't that what kept realms going?

Trade, economy all of that – again not much got through once she had a sandwich in front of her – she did use the time at one point where she would go to the stables but after she learnt Daniel died there it had become a place she stayed away from.

But here apparently being foreign wasn't always a good thing, not in some places. She almost went back and hit the ones that called her names – if she had actually known what they meant that was.

It finally made some semblance of sense when she started her job at the news office when she became reluctant friends with Mira who on getting to know her after a while – so she says, really she was just grasping straws – she called her a Latin American.

Now she had done her homework in the land that was known as America, she had researched all about the different states and the races of people that lived there – she had also come across the border that led to the south which was where the Hispanic section came into it.

Brazil, Argentina, Mexico – places a little closer to the north – Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rica. The last place looked rather nice so when Mira had been going through the endless list of all the places she might have come from when she said the small island Regina nodded, so that was how they both won that day. Mira having thought she got a little closer to knowing Regina's secret life and the woman in question who had finally shut her up.

"It must have slipped my mind." She ignored the exasperated groan from her friend. "Everything social seems to do."

"Meaning," Leaning over she snags a piece of carrot from her plate, smiling at the look of death in return before speaking. "Meaning – you don't ever seem to have a life outside of work."

"That is not true." She chews on the small carrot. "Not false either, Regina – I've known you know for just over two and a half years, and not once have I heard about your life other than what we get up to when the boss isn't looking. No boyfriend, no friends other than myself – not even a pet."

Putting down her fork the other woman exhales heavily. It's the same conversation practically each month. It had been everyday but not even the closest thing to a friend she had was immune from her anger. Once Mira had been on the receiving end of something much worse than anything she had displayed in the office, she had wisely backed off.

But that wasn't to say she didn't give up. And so it had only been once a month did she try and push her luck with her prying. "As I have stated countless times before work keep me busy most times so I don't get the chance to go out and 'Socialize' as you keep bugging me to do, I find the population of the male variety around here to be moronic idiots so why would I waste my time with them and finally you know I have allergies to anything of the wildlife species."

"Cats and dogs are not wildlife Regina." Picking up her drink she takes a sip before replying. "Also not my thing either."

Sighing Mira nods. "Fine – ok so no to the pets but seriously, Regina, you're young. You have your whole life to grow older and become bitter and cynical. You have plenty of years later to complain about the days hooligans and people who annoy you, being that now at such a young age – it makes me sad to think of just why that is."

Regina remained silent at her statement. There was a reason for her bitter attitude and harsh outlook towards the life she had currently, whilst it wasn't bad for someone who hadn't spent even a decade navigating the very real unknown. It was also one step that led to dead ends and disappointment.

When she failed in her quest, failed to come up with a way to find Maleficent, find Ruby, it stung her heart and took a little bit of it away with every passing day, the only way she could ever see them was when she closed her eyes at night but dreaming simply wasn't enough. She needed to find them – to make sure both were alright.

The blonde would probably scoff and call her a sentimental fool but she didn't care. She just needed to see them again.

"If I were you dear, I would worry about your own frown lines. Botox wearing off so soon" Mira stayed silent for a moment but the teasing mirth in her friends mocha orbs had her smiling lightly. Changing the topic to Mira's latest fling of the week they chatted with a comfortable air until it was time to go back to the office.

Later that night when she got home she shut the door to her modest two bedroom apartment. Entering the living room she threw her bag to the side and leant against the island in the kitchen, her eyes closed as she tried to process the day. Thinking about Mal and Ruby were always an emotional drain to her, but now with Mira asking more about her family it only hit harder at how much she truly missed them.

The pain never ended. Each day the hole in her heart got deeper and made every beat feel hollow. She knew she wouldn't be happy without them and something the older blonde had said earlier on the way back to the office had her thinking long and hard as her work went neglected. Pushing from the side she moved down the hall to her spare room.

Pushing on the door she flicked the switch as light filled the extra room she used as her research room. She moved across to the other side – stepping past books that littered the floor, all kinds from the earliest account of witchcraft to different types of sorcery that was known to the world.

White magic – dark magic… never anything about in the middle magic, just two sides, it appeared this world was as simple minded as most of the people in the enchanted realm in spite of its seemingly advanced ways.

Though surprisingly had a decent amount of almost near accurate knowledge on the supernatural, a name which baffled her when she first started collecting the books – magic wasn't so much super as it was just natural to her, but the many places she had went each time buying books in order for her to search.

Blood magic, elemental, magic of the mind – telekinesis and telepathy – the ability to commute and command animals, projection… oddly enough something she herself had never been all too good at.

Arcane now that had greatly surprised her – the arcane branch of magic had and was always understood by the few who truly knew how to wield its potential, even those born with magic had never really understood. Only those in touch with the realm itself could fully master the practise, reach outside of the typical magical reality. Maleficent had been able to, only by sheer force of will and the fact she had been learning since before half the enchanted forest was even created.

According to the blonde she was so far away from learning the bare basics. Something which greatly annoyed her but once she had seen just how disturbing even a slight fraction of what arcane users – though there were hardly any around, could do, she conceded and was willing to wait until the blonde thought her ready.

She had even gone as far as to study ley lines – the straight line that ran along the earths tectonic plates, a source of a many a mystical occurrence if what she had read was right, it had puzzled her to what a UFO was and had been a little unnerved at the bug eyed weird headed shaped thingy that was described in the book.

Sighing she moved over the piles on the floor strewn about as she came to a stop in front of a large picture, it was a map of the united states as she scoured the large continent. She stared at the many red flags that had been pinned into the states she had been in and had crossed off before moving on to the next.

All in the hopes of finding anyone – it no longer mattered if it were the blonde or her best friend, at this point she would take even Charming. She closed her eyes as the matter of her thoughts weighed heavily on her heart. It had been over two years, far longer then what she normally would have spent in any one state but she did like this one.

Georgia did have its appeals – well actually it only had Mira and that was about the extent. But now maybe it was time to move on – she had found nothing here after all, not even anything remotely connected to magic. Exhaling she picked up a small red pin and placed it over the small state that was Atlanta.

Staring at the now marked state she turned and made her way from the room. Shutting the door and turning off the light as she did, after she hunted something from the fridge she made her way to the small desk in the corner. Once she had switched on the computer and waited for it to load she uploaded the image of the map.

Only this time it was of the world and not just America. Having spent the last six years, one hundred and sixty three days and five hours searching and coming up empty, she idly mused if America was even the right place to continue her search anymore.

After all – it wasn't the USA she had done her homework on – she had looked all over and found Europe to be fascinating – some of the places even sounded like they came from a land that had at one time held magic. She had certainly laughed a little when she read up on Merlin and King Arthur.

How those two had come to be told in a place that was lost to fantasy was anyone's guess but it they knew surely they too would find it amusing. Morgana not so much, if the batty cow ever learned of how she was portrayed, Morgause also – yeah the pair were bad enough on a good day so was just thankful that she wasn't around to deal with them.

But on the lines of their stories – the Origins had greatly appealed to her as she looked at the place they were held in high regard – Britain – they seemed to be big on all things magic.

Well she said magic. Wiccan and paganism wasn't what she would call magic – she wouldn't even call it real, in fact she had scoffed the art on learning about it in her lessons. The blonde too had smiled at the branch that was what she would call the weakest point in the lines and so had never really spent too much time on teaching it.

So now it was either karma or just bad irony now that it seemed to be about the only one well known throughout the last thousands years or so- very big with druids and practitioners.

Just too bad any of them weren't worth a dam to her.

But the tales was enough for her to think that maybe good old England was worth a visit and so that night she made another big decision, her biggest so far as she booked a ticket to a place called London.

Spare of the moment she knew but it was how she had been living since the moment she stepped from that truck she had learnt was the actual name of the shiny metal monster the man had been driving.

She had been flighty from then on – never staying in one place, always renting nothing serious. No ties either, which was why it was going to be a bit hard leaving since the older blonde – who had in way reminded her of Mal… just a much bubblier version and with the ability to smile that didn't lead to bad things at the end of it.

But she had to go. If there was any chance that what England might have to tell her could possibly lead to a clue on their whereabouts, it was worth losing all the friends she had so once she had clicked on the buy tickets she knew that she only had a week at the most to pack up.

Which wouldn't be hard, she had only scant possessions to begin with. If she had time then she would have most likely indulged and fully furnished her apartment but as it was six years had made a light traveller of her and so what was in her bags was what she took with her.

It also helped that she had acquired one of those 'automobiles' once she had observed what they could do and the uses of having one.

Printing off the flight details and booking info and stared at the piece of paper before moving to go take a shower. She would have to start making preparations before she left and to tell Mira of her departure. She knew the older woman would most likely want to throw her a going away party but hopefully she could quell that idea before she started planning.

Once showered she decided to retire for the night, crawling under the covers she stared up at the ceiling. America had proven fruitless and so she was hoping the lands across the ocean would bring her better luck.

She didn't know how much longer she could last.


	2. The Only Exception

**It's here it's up at last.**

**Had a little delay in putting this up so apologies but here it is so happy reading. **

**I would like to thank 'Always-a-Villain' who commented - much appreciated. Anyway as always don't own OUAT and if any mistakes are here - gloss ovr until I find that dammed spell check button.**

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><p>Stepping out the door of his shop Gold looked up to the sky. The air was mild and the colour of the clouds promised rain. Something he enjoyed, not the hot, sweltering heat of the sun. Thankfully though the small seaside town he had inhabited for the past six years rarely brought such annoyance.<p>

He started his way down the road smiling tightly at those that passed him. Day in day out ever since he and the rest had arrived, it was all they had done. The continual routine of it all was enough to make him dislike the people around him – more so then he ever had before. Here he was forced to interact with them, see them in all their mundane plebeian ways.

At least back in the enchanted realm he had the sweet relief of being able to vanish on a whim. Get called by those only who wanted to deal- be it willing or not so. He still smirked when he saw sweet little Cinderella. All niceties' and smiles but really she was naught but a mutinous little coward.

Hypocritical words he knew but at least he never went back on deals. He hated those that did and the only person to have done so was now in the blissful unknown. He would have liked it by his hand but knowing was just as good. But silver linings was that though they might have not remembered at all who they were they still seemed to be wary of him and so if they could, had as little to do with him as possible.

Small mercies seeing as he could only tolerate so much and the wide berths gave him the peace and time it took to figure out his next move - here there was no magic, no easy fix to his conundrum he so desperately wanted. But he knew it was always going to be hard. Three hundred years had already proven that and he was in no way stupid enough to think it would be anything but here.

Especially given the fact that here he was on an equal playing field to the rest of them. Here he was as he was born, mortal. Pre his dark one era, it felt…

It left him with a sense of hollowness that wasn't brought about by the curse. Without his power the fears he had returned to him at night, the taunts the jeers he received when he was nothing but a simple wool spinner.

The town weasel was what they dubbed him. The man who ran, the crippled coward, for years he and his family had to endure the mockery of the town they lived. His poor son was taunted endlessly, his sweet Bae – always put on a brave face no matter what was thrown at him.

God he missed his son so much.

He also missed his then wife to an extent, the face of his fears that plagued him at night, she may have run off with the one-handed pirate and left both him and their son alone but she had also stayed.

She had stayed until she could put up with being made fun of no more, in a way he did understand. He knew what she was thinking when he saw the side looks of contempt and longing in her face the desire to be anywhere but in that small hut they lived – with him.

But that had all changed when he finally got the power he craved to better their lives. In a way her running off was the spark it took for him to finally step out of the title and the shadows to take what he wanted and never let it go, oh it had felt so good when he took his vengeance, the pirate who had looked so distraught when he saw the woman he loved lying dead on his ship.

The look of loathing was simply too much but he wasn't completely satisfied until he had the wandering rogues hand. The gasp of pain emitted was like sweet music, only then was he content and had left. He had heard sometime later that the pirate – going by the moniker of hook, was after his head in the name of his lost love.

But by then he was much too powerful to fear anyone anymore. Much less a man who most likely was only after him due to his hand, he doubted the man knew what love was, it wasn't Milah he wasn't doing It for – it was himself, he was pretty sure that was part of the pirate's code after all.

But it had also cost him dear. The price of fearlessness and power had taken the only person he had loved with all his heart from him. His own folly that had driven his son from him on learning of the boys assisted escape – with the help of the blue fairy, he had sworn to never give up until he found him once more.

That had never changed. Though it had been placed at the side when some two hundred and so many years later he got involved with the wench named Cora, he may have regretted ever allowing himself to fall in love with her and to have that thrown back in his face but for those few years they did have, he felt understood.

Things got steadily worse the more she learnt and though her lust for power finally outweighed the love for him. At least the one good and _only _good thing to come from their time together was Regina.

As soon as he had seen her, what love lingered for her Mother was gone as now he focused on the tiny bundle in the crib, he knew that Cora was gone – the woman had removed her heart and was not the same person that he felt drawn to, he also knew that Regina was not safe with her.

The name alone spelt of the intentions the older woman designed on her and with how she acted he knew that the young baby would only grow up miserable. A flash of Bae's face came into mind. The despondent and sorrowful looks whenever he came back from learning class, he knew he was teased every day and he felt shamed his son had to pay the price for his actions.

Well no more – finally having that power he could make sure the only other person he know loved wouldn't suffer the same fate of a life that was lonely and full of hurt. Sure he may have once again been taking his child away from their Mother, but the two women he had felt affection for proved their fallibleness by falling to the demons that urged them.

Both his children were better off in his eyes. Sure Bae may have ran away from _him_ but that was still a few years down the live since Milah ran off and he had killed her, with Regina – sure he may have cursed her but he always knew where she would end up.

Maleficent may have been a lot of things. A terror that spanned legends in many realms but she had looked after Regina like she was her own.

He stopped outside the small diner as his mind drifted to the blonde Fae. He knew he still had an obligation to keep but he had been saying that for a while now and was no sooner inclined to start looking when he had his own far more important priorities to tend to, yes he could be a bit nicer to who was essentially the guardian of his daughter, but it was just that person he happened to be searching for.

As part of the deal in the fine print of the contract he had drawn up when getting his apprentice to cast the curse. Because he wouldn't be coming through with him the deal made it so that he had complete control once in the new world. It would be him that decided where people went, what they did and what new names they would be gone by.

Truth be told he wasn't at all bothered about them. If he could have he would have just found a way to bring himself over but as it was the curse he created was far too powerful to merely bring a single person across. It needed an outlet and the rest of the kingdom was its price.

But seeing as he couldn't very well allow them to keep their original names he had come up with a few that he had found in passing, or at least found them to be fitting. It seemed their occupations just fell into their laps and so now he was free to stroll around the merry town of his creation plotting and planning all the ways he could find his son.

If only that was it.

It dawned on him when he was in the middle of re-arranging people's lives. That the one person he was looking for wasn't in the group. Once he had sorted everyone else out. His next move was to make sure that Regina was taken care off.

He would make it so she would never need for anything. A place of power within the town, a house that befitted her and all where he could watch on from a safe distance, only that little vision never came around when he realized with a cold dread that she wasn't within the curses grasp.

_His heart pounding, the former dark one rushed around the frozen group oblivious to his presence. As he searched every face for chance that he had missed her, only to find that he had gone through every one of them twice. He stopped on the edge, his throat dry as the truth finally came to him that Regina wasn't there._

_His mind immediately went to work on the reasons why that might have been. There was the possibility that she was outside of the curses reach when it struck. He remembered seeing the blonde though in her dragon form, she must have had reason to be in her other half and so had put her in the only place big enough to house such a creature for he no longer had magic to turn her back._

_But right now she was the least of his worries. If indeed that was the case then that meant she was back in the enchanted forest. His heart lurched at the thought, it wasn't like she was merely lost and a quick search around would find her again – she was an entire realm away._

_With a heavy heart he realized that this was Bae all over again. That he had lost his son to worlds unknown, his daughter was to, gone from his reach. All that he had worked for all that he had strived to achieve and put in motion suddenly didn't feel so victorious anymore as he lamented on his loss._

_He knew that there was no chance of him ever being able to reach her again. Not until the curse broke and he was able to retrieve the potion. But that would take years; he idly thought about the baby saviour that Snow and charming had to sacrifice. He glanced to the said parents with a thoughtful expression._

_He was aware of the blue fairy, that she was the Whites go to bug, she had known about the curse and was quick to inform them. He also knew that in order to find a way to protect if not themselves then at least the expectant princess. The use of the enchanted tree had been fashioned by the carpenter._

_He didn't know what was said but surely the head fairy would have saw fit to inform her charge of the fact that the tree could be used as a shelter of sorts. That the wardrobe could be used to house two and not a singular being, he knew about the present delivered as it was he who had fed the idea to the old woodcarver in the first place._

_But then why, if she had told the newly crowned Queen, was she within the frozen time bubble along with her husband. Wouldn't she have wanted to go with the baby, having one parent was better than none or did he have the fair Queen wrong. Was she more selfish then he first thought, was the fact of living without her beloved more important than making sure her child was safe?_

_Questions he would never get answers to but he didn't care. His work was nowhere near done and now he had another to try and bring back._

But that had was years ago. And he was no closer to finding a way to find Bae then he was Regina. But he was a patient man, after all. He did know that the monotonous life he and the rest of them went through day by day would be broken. He just had to wait for that day to arrive and only then would he have the means to further his searching.

Once magic was brought back and he could fully be himself again. He would find a way to return to the enchanted land and bring back his missing daughter, once he did then his family would finally be complete.


	3. Playing The Game

**New chapter up at last.**

**Would like to thank the person who commented on the last chapter, I do hope you all enjoy this new one.**

**And if possible - I' am trying to get to at least ten comment's before get to chapter five so if I may be cheeky and ask, could people help me reach that target... I will love you all if you could, and of course give out the next chapter.**

**Happy reading, I don't own OUAT and if any mistakes can be seen sorry, blame the lack of spell check.**

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><p>Coming out of the Parthenon Regina sighed. Ever since leaving America some four years ago and heading for England. Her journey had taken her across the channel and into Europe. As much as Britain was nice in its own quaint little way, it still held no answers for her. She had read up all that she could on Merlin and Arthur as soon as she was able to find a place to stay.<p>

Taking all what she had in savings when she had quit her job … she had been right; Mira was indeed insufferable on hearing her leaving and insisted on a going away party. In the end and with such a fuss kicked up she managed to get it down to just them going to a pub, they did get their drinks at Donny's eventually but she still had to sit there and listen to her near cry about how much she would be missed.

But gone she had, with the promise of a phone call every now and then to see how she was. Regina had kept up that promise which surprised her but she did like the other woman and so wouldn't skip out like she had planned. But once she had reached London she looked around firstly for a place to stay and had ended up booking into a nearby hotel.

Once there she had started looking for her next job. Being a journalist had been fun and so always had the experience and references should she ever wish to go back to it. She didn't think she would find Mal or Ruby here and so was curious to live life how it came at her whilst she searched.

So a week later she was settling in to her new job. Of course when they had asked for references she had given the Mira's number. The blonde being her only friend she knew that she would say nice things about her, the others who had the fortune to have met her – well not so much and so if she wanted the position she knew she had to be as charming and pleasant as she had made out.

She never did find out what the older woman had said to them. With her being coy the next time they spoke, but it didn't matter as she had got the job, it was pretty much the same as what she had been doing in Atlanta except it was in another country. She hadn't actually intended on doing anymore writing when she left, but on realizing just how much further her searching would take her if she had the official credentials to back up her supposed 'Snooping' no one actually gave her two thoughts to her intentions.

She was beginning to quickly get the hang of this world. Though after eight years she should have caught on a lot sooner, if she hadn't been so anti-social that was. It seemed power got you places, just like back in the forest there were two types of power – political and magical – whilst the latter was something non-existent to the realm she now lived in, it seemed that even a junior research reporter could get her places being a normal civilian couldn't.

Just because the board had changed didn't mean the rules had.

So she went to every library she could find within distance even the national archives. Used her semi-power to get a hold of any and all books that told of the fabled wizard and his pet king, (all for research purposes) scoured every word that he had wrote about his workings and rituals even about the arch enemy of his times – Morgana, she had met the woman once and personally found her a delight.

But as much as she liked the other woman, she also knew just how secretive she was. During that time in her company she had heard her scorn Merlin many a time for his blatant need for approval by making his magic known. Yes her own magic was something not unheard of and all round feared, but she was talking about the practices of the art.

The triple goddess and the old religion, she cursed him for disregarding all of that in favour of the stupid royals and their values. If Arthur was his lapdog then Merlin was the sheep happily herded. He wasn't a saviour nor could he be called a fraud. He was just a man who liked the attention and reverence too much in her eyes.

She had talked Regina's ear off and on finally leaving her castle. Had to ask Maleficent who she had gone with just why they had subjected themselves to her ranting's. The blonde had laughed and said she might have been halfway to crazy, but she was an exceptional sorceress with magic most would dream of.

It was true and she had learnt from her so the visit wasn't as tediously boring she guessed. But right now she was willing to bet half those rants true as she could clearly see Merlin was more of a would be philosopher than an all-powerful wizard with the amount of drivel he wrote, some of the journals she could see wasn't even by his hand.

Morgana had been nice enough to read a page from one of the books she had stolen … all part of a nefarious plan of hers, she had told them. But she had read it and had remembered his handwriting and what she was reading now was far from the real wizard himself, which was just as well.

It was the land without magic after all so she had no doubt that Merlin would have ever seen reason to be in such a place, whoever wrote what she was reading no doubt was an imposter or someone trying to emulate the wizard.

Which didn't help her in anyway, and seeing as Merlin was England's biggest magical draw. It meant her searching here had hit a wall. Thanking the people who had begrudgingly allowed her access to the books she made her way back to her flat. Like Atlanta she had found herself another small flat to rent.

A lot smaller and a hell of a lot more expensive but it was home for now as she didn't bother with making dinner and went straight to bed. Changing from her clothes into her pyjamas she fell into bed pondering on what this meant. Her time in England was coming to a close, as soon as she had sourced all she could then she knew she had to look elsewhere.

Which was how she ended up on France were she had studied up on all the myths and folklore legends she could find. Hearing of Lancelot du lac – Once more led back to Arthur – was there nowhere that man didn't get to, which she later learnt meant lake in French which was what led her to the lady of the lake. Then she moved on the European stories.

The ones about the dragons really appealed to her for the obvious reasons as she scoured the pages, she liked that there were so many but had to frown that the slightly repetitive pattern of where they all seem to die at the end by the stupid knights sword. Would it have killed them for once to let the beasty win?

Actually it might have if the dragon did so a bit of a stupid question. It fascinated her about all the stories and detailed legends that seemed to exist within the deeper parts of Europe, idly she had to wonder if this place at one time did hold some magic as some of the stories she chanced upon struck her similar with a few people she had met a time ago.

The accuracy was almost there and so it made her wonder. But ultimately her search wasn't effective there either so on she went – doing odd jobs here and there, just basically being the quintessential traveller – France to Spain to the Netherlands and so on until she made her way to Greece. There she had to admit, she fell in love.

Not with anyone passing by. Though she had to admit the sights were pleasing, she didn't take a second glance. Ever since Daniel had died she had been in a state of mourning that seemed to span a lifetime. It was no different now she was in a different place and she wasn't stupid enough not to know the basics of flings and one night stands, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it.

She had also never been in love before. She had nothing to compare it to, but what she felt for the stable hand was the truest thing she felt to love that didn't extend to familial, she wasn't sure what she wanted at such an early stage but she would have liked the chance to have discovered it with him.

Not possible now and so she felt like it would have been a betrayal to his memory if she went ahead and just threw what she would have treasured with him on a night filled most likely with regret and hate the next day, so paid no heed to attention shown her way. Instead what she had fallen in love with was the culture.

The landmarks that adorned the ancient country, the place was filled with a story that spanned millennia and she was taken in by the iconic structures that she visited. Athena's temple, the acropolis, the Delphi, the muse's waterfall, the gates of Hades - all of them had a story to tell and she was eager to learn about each and every one.

Once more she was engrossed with the fabled creatures the legends told: the phoenix, the centaur … the Hydra.

Now that was something she would have liked to have taken on, she was annoyed when Mal told her about the two basilisks she had fought with and too wanted the chance to try something that was bigger than a deer. But she never got the chance. But this looked way better than a serpent king.

Its nine heads made for a fascinating point – and the fact that one grew back every time you took one off made it even more so, of course there was the off-chance that she might have gotten tired after a while and so leaving herself vulnerable with every head literally all around was something a little concerning.

Yeah- she might not like it so much anymore. Maybe if it was an old one then possibly, but just as well they didn't exist, if they did then it was in a realm she hadn't visited.

Moving on she glanced over the heroes: Jason, Theseus, Odysseus the tragic one Achilles. It was all good for them being martyrs and idiots as such but again didn't help her, in the end she had come to the conclusion – one that she had in every country she went to.

They were just stories.

Nothing about them was real. They were just tales told by very imaginative people; once more she had struck a dead end. Sitting back in her chair she laughed a little self depreciatively, would she ever get a live one? Without waiting or bothering to put the books back she left the library and returned to the small room she had been living from to plan her next move.

That was just it – where did she go from there? It was clear that Greece was the home of all things mythical – sure there was Rome but in essential that was just its equivalent, and so what she found here no doubt would be mirrored there. She sank to the bed wondering what it was she was doing wrong.

She had spent years looking. Every page in every book dedicated to magic she could find. She even went to those who claimed they possessed the art in order to find something – even a bloody trip to Romania and the gypsy's who lived there proved fruitless – nothing but bloody fakes the lot of them.

Oh to naked eyes – to those who believed in such asinine tricks… the people who had lived in the land without magic their whole lives' it would have seemed impressive. But to her – a person who had lived real magic, used real magic… _was_ magic. It was nothing but a peddlers ware to fool gullible minds.

She was actually disappointed in herself for resorting to such means but she was desperate. For all the good it did her it proved just why she was right to scorn such practises in the first place, but surely anything was worth the try?

She reached above her bed and pulled down the bag of crisps she had stashed there. Food had become a good source of comfort to her since she had started her mission. With each failure she would go and binge until she fell into a food coma, wake up feeling sorry for herself, sort her life out before ultimately repeating the same process once more later down the line.

It was a vicious circle, but one she enjoyed – especially if it involved Taramosalata – she didn't know what it was about the small fish but she couldn't help herself when it came to buying bulk.

She didn't get fat – part of the regime of trying to better herself before failing was she ran. Every morning she went to the beach and ran the length of the shore. Of course it wasn't like when she ran with Ruby, she could still never seem to match her no matter how fast she tried and so decided to set a steady pace and go for distance instead.

But she had also come to learn that before she started her healthy kick – she really had no need for whatever she ate she had come to realize she never put on in weight. It had baffled her as she knew she was more than an amorous food lover and could give a pie eater in a contest a run for their money.

So if she ate like a sumo, why wasn't she the size of one? Mira had also called her out on her envious ability to look like a model even after she witnessed her horde an entire pizza to herself on a particularly trying day – she of course wouldn't have called herself a model, she had seen models and never in her life could she be as thin as those women.

Had they ever even heard of food that wasn't processed like cardboard she wondered. She had looked at herself in the mirror once – just studying herself hard, her conclusion was that she was more curvy then thin.

She had a reasonable weight. Fat where it needed to be fat where she didn't want it – but she had to sigh and concede to this worlds apparently body altering rules, she may have fat in new places – one silver lining was that her boobs had gotten bigger she enjoyed bra shopping greatly after that.

She may have gotten more curvier but she never put on weight, nor had she seemed to really age, possibly one or two years but then it was like time after that had frozen - it had her confused … much like her strength that ability had never left her either. That along with trying to figure out the location of the others had been something on her list to accomplish – whilst she had yet to cross the first one off, she did have a slight theory about the second.

The dragon

Her alter ego, Maleficent had said that was an innate part of them. Part of their souls and their bodies. They shared a twin vessel so to speak and so it was only natural that some of their traits had spliced together – the dragon with its immense strength and enhanced senses allowed them to be better than the mortals around them.

Of course the blonde had always stated that they were better no matter what dragon did and did not give them. As they in turn – the magic they had been born with helped the creature side become stronger, be better than the other dragons that they vacationed with on occasion. She knew she was the blonde were the strongest out there; it was only by terms of age and a hierarchy of experience that kept them from exercising that.

Of course when it came to fights it was allowed. The blonde only watching, being the pinnacle of indifference and finding anything that involved scrapping like the beasts they were uncouth and so chose to watch and judge from the top.

There were no dragons to fight but the 'Magical' effects still remained which was why she was more convinced that at one point in time – magic did reside within the land, she just didn't know what made it disappear. She stared morosely up at the ceiling as she chewed each small potato chip methodically as she thought.

Where would her next search take her? Like she had said she didn't think anything could top Greece and so would have to undertake a far more extensive look to see where would be the next that caught her eye. Finishing the pack she threw the empty bag to the side before hoisting herself up.

As much as she loved Greece she had never found a true place to put down roots as such – especially with the destinations being all over the country it made for getting back very hard and seeing as she had no magic that meant going tourist, something she had no problem with considering it was all she had been doing, but she did like her sleep.

For convenience sake it was just easier for her to rent or if had to- book a hotel near to the place she visited. But now she was leaving she had to look a bit further afield, but where to?

It would take some time. Most likely further East and so have to do some reading up on the countries pertaining to Asia, but not tonight, she was far too tired and so deciding and early night was called for she made her way to the kitchen to make herself a small dinner before retreating back to bed where she firmly stayed for the rest of the night.


	4. Musing's Of A Dragon

New chapter up, would like to thank the last reviewer – but a small note to add to what you put.

Everything that you questioned about this story is already in the first part of this saga. How Regina came to be friends with Ruby and Snow, Explanation's on Rumple being her dad, and so forth – it's all right there in the first half, I mean it's only like over twenty five chapter's and god knows how long but… you know.

Also what I write that doesn't quite seem to make the story go anywhere. It may seem boring to some but it's in there so readers can get an understanding of her life after the curse – how it's affected her and how she has made something in a world she doesn't know – it's also explaining her emotions on exploring an unknown place for the first time.

So yes – it may seem like its stagnating slightly but you know what they say. 'Rome wasn't built in a day' and this story isn't going to go from A to B just because a few might find it boring.

I'm taking my time and building it up otherwise what's the point? If I made it so Regina would simply go out and find them right away it would be pretty quick and very rushed.

To put an end to this little Authors note – thank you once again for your comment, but if you don't like how the story is going simply put – don't read.

Now - on with the story. As always, I don't own OUAT.

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><p>Far beneath a road in a certain fairy-tale town and underneath a corner street library, laid a cavern. A deep place, with blackness that far reached the length of the miles it seemed to stretch. It was a two tier lair, with one rocky footpath that led into a deeper chamber though the footpath had stood unused by anyone since the town's conception.<p>

And because it lay unused, none also knew about what resided within the Rocky crevices. The vast area that which served as its walking spot, there was also two large towers that hovered high above and in between these two rock pillars something stirred. Something unworldly and reptilian as very slowly the large creature began to wake.

Two large eyes cracked open – two yellow orbs contrasting within the inky blackness and blinked a little dazed as she fought to clear the slumber, before very slowly lifting her head.

Maleficent looked around the empty cave that had been her home for the past twelve years and for the millionth time so desperately wished she could be free. To fly, to feel the cold air rush past her body and stretch her wings, before she had taken all that for granted – now… she never before realized just how lucky she was.

She had also realized just how lonely she was. Before Regina, peace was something she had only ever wanted. Craved… killed for – but then the little baby arrived and her life had changed drastically, she could say for the better she could say for the worse. But what she did know was that without the younger woman she was kind of lost.

Pathetic really considering she had for so long been the terror of the realms – still was, but if they ever learnt that she could be reduced to a simpering, morose shadow of the woman … dragon she once was all because the only constant in her life was no longer there, how they would rejoice.

It was sad but it was true. Regina brought a state of familiarity to her life for so long, that waking up only to find herself in a strange land without her was frightening. She tried calling for her, roaring to see if she was nearby and waited… she waited for ages, trying to think of the reasons why she wasn't coming.

Regina always came when she called. But as the time went by and she had begun to realize that the place she was in was a closed location. She also learned that if Regina had been around she would have been by her side well before a quarter of the time she was standing in the middle.

She had also felt no other signs of life, she couldn't hear any heartbeats, no intakes of breath's… just her own.

Wherever she was, she was alone. And from the indefinite way the solid roof above her looked – she was going to be for some time.

If only she had known how long that 'some time' would be.

She glanced around her obsidian prison. Studying the same monotonous rock structures, knowing each ridge and ripple after having been accustomed with their presence for far longer than she would have liked, yawning, she stood and stretched out her huge body.

Shaking the hulking frame and put a huge claw forward she set off. She did this to keep her muscles from cramping but also to keep her from going insane. She was never one for being idle, laziness was something she abhorred – she only allowed Regina to be so because she knew just what a cranky terror she could be when woken early.

But now it was a life-line. It was all she had really and so set off on the well-worn path she had carved out as she thought about old memories. By now it was a sad longing. A wistful remembrance to rather the angry confused and hurt she had been feeling so many years ago.

She had been angry at everyone. By being able to keep her mind clear she was able to focus on the last few critical hours before the curse struck. Before their lives had changed, she had remembered Regina saying that someone had been planning to set off a curse, and she had also known just who had the power to perform such a feat.

The Imp

She could clearly remember those last moments she when she was in the enchanted forest… when she was free. She had been obviously in her creature form. Had been hunting and was just finishing her kill for the night when she could feel the complete change in the air; it was like exchanging a trickle from a bucket and replacing it with a waterfall.

Lifting her head she quickly looked around for the source as it came from all sides only to set eyes upon a huge black and green cloud billowing from the other side of the infinite forest. It was a testament to how much this magic could be felt as she looked to the crowd to find all a many a different animal rushing past her.

Not once did they take in the threat she posed as they raced around her imposing body. She couldn't say she blamed them and was about to turn and take off into the sky herself – she knew this curse couldn't be stopped and in her dragon form she had no access to magic so was going to go find the younger woman.

Since they had to be cursed then she would rather be cursed with the one person she liked above others. Maybe what happened at the end they could consolidate their powers and work out a way to break it – she was about to lift from the ground when the thunderous rolling told her she was too late.

After that everything went dark and she awoke… to more darkness, she tried calling for Regina, called for her many a times. Before she learnt the truth that she was alone which in turn made her angry,

She was furious. At Rumpelstiltskin, who clearly was to blame for this – she was even angry at the younger woman. Though many, many times her junior - the younger sorceress had shown great maturity at times and had been known to offer comfort.

She was fiercely loyal to her that much she knew. And the one promise she had always given. Was that she would never leave. She had mocked her for being soft but was silently deeply grateful. She had been betrayed a lot during her long life and those that had been around had been driven away by her innate distrust and the clear hall's length she kept them at.

She knew she had fallen into bitterness. A deep, twisted loathing and hate that had driven her to act vengeful and destroy in the name of retaliation it was why so many had feared and despised her. Over time her name had grown and her legacy for instilling terror had grown until she had become a legend all over, only beaten by the dark one himself.

But through all that – through every act of evil she committed, every dark, soul staining deed she caused. Only one had ever stuck by her – sure she could have contributed Regina's underlying loyalty to the fact that she had saved her, took her in and she could have said the younger girl was gaining something from her just like the rest had.

But she knew that wasn't the case. Regina genuinely did feel loyalty and fondness that had grown over the years they had spent together. It wasn't borne from what they could get from each other, but more the family bonds that she had tried very hard to deny but had come to grudgingly accept the more Regina taunted her with it.

But she had stayed. She had been by her side and had never once shown any sign of double crossing her, she hadn't even complained when she taught her dark magic when she could have been learning light. She had knowingly darkened the younger girl and no doubt her heart.

Regina had only ever done what she asked. Had killed those she instructed, had taught her how to kill by uses of plants and herbs - all in all she had created and shaped a mini monster.

Regina had even gone to kill on her own merits. That itself had shown the complete devotion she had as the reasons had all been for the blonde.

To protect her from those who would wish her harm. She could of course have taken care of them herself. But she was touched that someone had gone out of their way to do something for her without wanting anything back in return. Though the many years she had spent keeping her sheltered could have evened out those deeds.

She had felt warm for the first time in years. She felt something that she had thought long gone – almost none existent from the bottom of her stone cold heart – it was actually the reason why she had slapped her,

She was scared for the younger woman.

She loved her.

It had come as huge shock to her which was why she had gotten so angry. Regina had broken her promise. She accused her of leaving her intentionally - for forgetting about her.

But on gaining a little calm and thinking a little clearly – she knew deep down Regina wouldn't have ever broken her one main promise, not unless she was seriously injured or worse.

But she knew the other woman wasn't dead. She didn't know how considering she could no longer feel her, but she knew that she wasn't dead… she couldn't be. Which in turn had her scared for the first time – she actually felt fear. Both at the unknown place she was, and for the safety of the one person who had crept into her long dead heart.

She couldn't change back she tried and with dread found her magic no longer working. She wasn't sure if it was the place she was in or the effects of the curse. But she was stuck in her dragon for the foreseeable future.

After having explored her surroundings and found something of a nest. She made herself a small niche and burrowed down. Placing her head on her arms she closed her eyes for a nap, trying hard not to think of the younger woman and the tears that were threatening to fall from her large eyes.

Sometime later when she woke - having done a lap of her domain she returned to the middle to find breakfast waiting in the centre. It had surprised her to find the carcass of a stag just lying near her bed of sorts. It had been suspicious at first and had taken a great time in sniffing the body out, if someone was trying to poison her than what better way than with the only food available to her.

But she could find nothing wrong. And being starving promptly devoured the animal with two bites. She also found a small water supply on the edge of the in what looked like a stream that led to nowhere – she had followed it in the hopes it would lead to the outside, no such luck.

She couldn't complain in terms of starving. Whoever had enacted the curse – and she still did strongly suspect the Imp, he had seen the good grace to gift her with a supply of food that appeared at the times of the day that food would be taken.

Every morning, noon, evening and night a deer would appear – usually it was two or three seeing as she was a big dragon and one didn't fill her up, sometimes it was different. A cow or pigs – maybe even a sheep or flock, either way she didn't go hungry.

The water remained cold and fresh so again. Small mercies but with the problem of food sorted, the only thing that was left to grate on her mind was company.

Or in her case lack thereof, she had never before realized just how quiet a place could be when not her own mind. She hated it and it made her see just how big a difference having a person to talk to could make. She had one person, the first week actually she had been woken on sensing someone enter her cavern.

She had looked around and zoned in on _him_. He looked so much more different to how he was before. For one thing he wasn't gold or scaled, she didn't know what magic it was that he had done to make him look human but it baffled her but before all that she was angry.

Now that he was here she knew without a doubt it was him who had caused her to be here. Standing she narrowed her eyes on his small frame and got ready to incinerate him. If she couldn't do magic then she doubted he could either which made her grateful as even in her much stronger physical form, she didn't think she could take the dark one and so counted herself lucky for that.

He must have known for he quickly skittered back giving her a jolt of satisfaction she had him scared. But it wasn't enough, and so breathing in she was thankful she could still breathe fire and so got ready to aim it at him when he said the one thing that stopped her mid inhale.

She deflated on hearing him say Regina's name she peered back down to him as he cautiously took a step closer. He must have figured she could understand him which made him smile and her in turn unhappy at having given her one thing away, now she couldn't ignore him like she wanted.

But she listened to what he asked. Learning what she had figured, Regina was indeed nowhere near. He had come to see if she could sense her – to her displeasure she couldn't and so shook her head. Making him lose his tall posture as she dashed his hopes, she wanted to know how it was that he had lost the younger woman.

It was his curse after all, shouldn't he have been able to find her prior to setting off his little smoke cloud. But she was more interested in her revenge and so went to attack him again only to be stopped by him saying he could help. She once more listened to him telling her he would figure a way to get her out.

Out of her dragon form and the cave she was in, it had been the one thing she wanted and so watched him intently. He was a known trickster, a swindler both in his old life and on taking up the dark mantle. She knew she couldn't trust him – he had after all sent a stupid man to her castle once before.

But he didn't have his powers here and she could guarantee he was trying to rectify that, so maybe she should give him a chance. It was a long shot and very slim that he would actually follow through with what he was saying. But she had been down here for so long that she was just about ready to make a deal with her fairy nemesis - blue, if she thought it would get her out.

Watching as he turned and left she knew it would most likely be a while before he could go good on what he said. That was if he did at all, but it gave her time to plan in the meantime. Turning she moved back to her bed and settled down. She wasn't one to just let a slight against her go, those who wronged her always paid.

It was a lesson she taught the younger woman and it was one she had upheld no matter what land she was in and no matter who it was that was her target. It was a risky thing making him her next victim, a lot would say it was suicidal planning action against him, but what kind of person would she be if she didn't stick to her mantra.

She would just have to wait and strike before he managed to retrieve his magic.

That had been twelve years ago some few months back. Surprising to keep track seeing as the days seemed to meld together into one long, continuous stream but she had always had a long memory and been good at keeping track of time. She also had underlying faith that if he didn't come through then Regina would.

Having had spent her whole life in her company she knew the raven haired woman. She knew her traits and her picked up habits. She knew just how resilient she was her tenacity – once she latched on to something she would go at it with almost a fearsome like ferocity until she won or whatever she was fighting gave up.

She had no doubt that if she wasn't where the Imp wanted her to be. Then she would be hunting a way to find them. If she was indeed a place close then she would be searching and if the rest of the kingdom had been dragged along than she would be looking for her friend to, she was confident that when she did find them, she would find her also.

When she did she would find a way to break her from this form. She wanted to be back on two feet and so was waiting for Regina to make it happen. Blood might have been thicker than water, but she was in essence the only family she had ever known. Regina would take her side over the Imp's any day.

Family seemed to be a thing for him and so was looking forward to the day it all blew up in his face, the day he was audacious enough to leave his daughter on the side of the mountain was the day he gave her the biggest ally she ever had, familial bonds were nothing in the face of unwavering loyalty, especially she didn't know that he was indeed her family.

All she had to do was wait until that day came. She would get her revenge. If not by means of physical justifications then at least watching his face fall when his little plans fail.

With that to look forward to she moved from her little corner and out into the open. Shaking her body she set off on her post morning lap of the cave before breakfast.


	5. Little Wooden Boy

Well its up at last.

Apologies for the lateness but a sick relative, a 45 hour a week job and just procrastination (Semi) on my part is to blame but it is here, and I hope you all enjoy.

I don't own OUAT but if I did then Regina would be kicking Emma's arse and joining the Queens of darkness like the badasss she is. :)

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><p>Shuffling from inside a small hut saw a sliding door open, as a tussled haired Regina stepped out onto the small veranda. Getting up before the morning sun had become something of a norm to her, ever since arriving in Asia all those years ago. Ever since she had discovered just how beautiful sunrise was in the Far East land, she had made it a dedication to see it break through into the new day.<p>

Settling down on the swing chair she looked out over the little lake that she had called her own seeing as there was no one else about and so was hers to enjoy in privacy.

Of course this wasn't the first location she had lived in – far from it … more like her seventh. But had a good feeling this was permanent. She didn't know why, she just felt like something here was calling to her, something that would make all the years of fruitless searching worthwhile.

Something to still give her hope

Lifting the cup to her lips, she had to thank whoever invented tea as she sipped the steaming liquid and lounging back happily waiting for the light to appear over to trees. She had tried coffee – could remember it being the very first drink she had in this world and no matter where she went the result was always the same.

The thing was disgusting.

She was just so glad that they had stopped at another rest and the driver had the kindness to buy her a tea. He returned to his truck with the drinks and smiled at her before stating that she 'Looked like a tea person'

At the time she didn't know what it was but from the moment it touched her tongue she was in love, from then on she only ever drank tea – she had of course discovered others but tea was her best – it completed her and so had sworn whatever country she went to next she had to have tea.

Wrapping her blanket around her tighter she inhaled deeply the cold air biting at her feet before she tucked them under her legs. She hadn't been Idle in coming to the furthest continent, once she had managed to get settled and enough money to rent a place – she began reading up on anything magical she could find.

It was a startlingly different contrast to that of Greece and Rome she could say. Whilst those two countries had their own way of showcasing their homelands to visiting tourists – show them the wonder that is their history and heritages. Places like China, who seemed so elusive and secretive when it came to their legends, made her want to learn about it all the more.

They seemed so prideful and when they did tell their stories – she was impressed by the passionate way they told them – forget the kids she was hooked and many a time had joined a small group in listening to their elders who were sitting by a small café of outside their home, indulging the children and a few older kids in tales of old.

Another reason why she had spent so long in China, far longer than any other place she had lived – was their long history with a particular kind of creature.

She had been excited on learning that like Greece they too had their own stories based on the reptilian myths of old and so on passing through a small village one day, had struck up a conversation with one of the locals. It was short and very brief as she didn't speak Chinese, but on seeing the little gathering of yet another story telling, she had been invited to stay and listed.

So she had, the man who was getting ready to beguile the small children was a man in his possibly late seventies. But he looked like he could have passed for at least fifty, something that amazed her as she settle down.

His name was Shifu Qian and his family could be traced as far back as the early Ming dynasty – following the fall of the Mongol Yuan, his family had moved from the outskirts of Mongolia into the heart of what would be today – known as Nanjing, before moving to the more rural areas where they stayed up until the days present.

But his family wasn't what interested her, what she found both interesting and amusing. Was that from what she had learnt, the people of China believed they were descended from Dragons. She found it was a tradition that was embedded in all their culture and was widely spread over the society they lived.

She was especially pleased to hear that while the rest of the world – the Western places – held Dragons as things of great evil and malevolence, she still wasn't happy with the French literature about that – here Dragons were something to be worshipped and associated with good.

Even going as far as seeing it as something of a national icon … she had to say she was greatly enjoying what she could of the story and as best as she could understand it – she had seen the many statues of Dragons all over – bronze, jade, porcelain. All crafted fantastically and so well painted, it was nice to see that people respected and acknowledged their power and not just seen as something to conquer purely for glory and happy endings.

She had to laugh at the notion of them actually thinking they had evolved from Dragons – or devolved whichever it was but she could only think of the irony as she sat in her seat silent.

Japan too had their own tales of times past, times that involved dragons and other mythical beasts – she was surprised to read up on Kitsunes' – the little fox like creatures that possessed nine tails that represented their life force. The books said they had the ability to transform into women … while she had never personally come across any Kitsune in the other land, they lived in an entirely different realm but were known to travel, she didn't know if shapeshifting into humans was one of their gifts.

But it could be – she didn't know. She might have met one and didn't know it, but she probably would have another magical being always left a scent no matter what form they took. From what the blonde had told her about them – they tended to be mischievous and could be tricky to deal with depending on which one you got.

Some could be playful tricky or benevolent. Harder to deal with as the more tails they possessed the more power they held – it said that once they had all nine tails they became all knowing. It all really came down to the ritual if you wanted to summon one. Well she had no need to talk to a fox and so just left it at that and moved on but now she found herself reading about them a little more.

But as much as it was fun to read it didn't help with her everlasting problem. And so once saving up enough she moved on – which was how she came to Thailand, eight hundred and sixty three miles from Bangkok and one stop from Australia. She had been here so far for two years – having been quite lucky actually.

She had been going through town one day when she saw an advert for English teachers, well she wasn't English but her language was practically better than anyone's on the island. It was for twelve months and it paid well enough to afford somewhere nicer than the shoebox she was staying in.

So she went along to the local school where the organisers had set up and really – it took no time. Of course she didn't have the qualifications required but having been surprised by an American who was living there that had gone unnoticed by them. They had asked if she wanted the job of teaching children and adults who wished to learn at night classes.

She accepted and was now sitting in a small house a little way from the town as a result. She wanted her peace and so had found a rundown shack about half an hour away, after inquiring about it and finding the owner had died the local council or what consisted of authority had said she could have it. Apparently strange things could be heard and people were afraid to go near the small house, an hour or so later that day she was the proud owner of – for better words, a pig sty.

But she was used to hard work and so worked to fix it up, it took some time – having been used to being on her own she didn't really want to be around people any more than she liked and so did the fixing up by herself. It took months – a lot of money but soon her once chaotic mess was now a decently liveable home.

Everything was alright. She had her home, she had her cat that come by one day, the weather was ferocious and the rain was pelting the windows. She was just about to go to bed when she noticed the narrow strip leading to a little dip under the house, a little cat was curled up as best as it could.

It seemed to be trying to get away from the storm and the rain as her heart oddly went out to the little feline and so moved to open the front door. It snapped its head round at seeing her there as they looked at one another for a moment. Normally its instinct was to bolt, but seeing as it had nowhere to go and wanted to stay dry, it meowed at her.

She felt sorry for the drenched moggy and stepped back allowing it to see the invitation and wasting no time – another crack of thunder erupted, it raced inside. She chuckled and shut the door turning to watch it inspect the place it called home for the night. Eventually their eyes met once more and he – it looked like a boy, meowed once more at her in thanks.

"Well I'm off to bed now, so please do try not to disturb me or go anywhere as I have just got this clean." Wondering why she was talking to a cat she gave it one last look before hurrying for the other room. Of course once she had finished getting ready for bed she left her bathroom only to take a step back at seeing it on her cover.

"No."

Lifting his head he gave her a small look of derision. Her eyes narrowed on seeing his almost roll before going back to licking his paws. A small argument in which she tried to shove him off three times – failing every time before she gave up and moodily pulled back her covers.

"Well stay the hell on your side then." She snapped before shaking her head and sliding under the covers, turning her light off she sighed before closing her eyes, just as she was nearing sleep a small weight had her opening them to see the little cat had moved and was now curled near her chest.

Looking down she could see it huddling closer to her – trying to keep warm before placing his head on his paws and falling still, soon purring could be heard and being as tired as she was she didn't contest so merely inched so her body had a little moving room before closing her eyes once more as they both fell asleep to the sound of the battering storm.

That night turned into forever and so on hearing the light pattering of paws she looked to see Sylvester – such a great name for a cat she thought make his way out the door and over to her. She lifted her arm as he jumped onto the cover, before kneeing the part where her leg was and lying down.

He had come for his morning adoration and so she obliged by scratching the back of his ears, hearing his familiar purr had her rolling her eyes – such a high maintenance cat as he lifted his head letting her know she was to do under his neck. Conceding she idly stroked his fur as she stared at the trees.

She had been thinking about the next stage. The chapter in what seemed like a never ending book that was her life. She had been in Thailand for longer than any other place, by now she thought she would have found something, her intuition was telling her something was there … but so far all she had found was nothing but admittedly gorgeous places to fall asleep and watch the sun rise.

Maybe it was time to move on, to go to Australia – she didn't think they would be there but it was one of the last places and what did she have to lose. Cut her losses here and go on yet another adventure. She lifted her head on seeing the first streaks of reed break over the horizon and inhaled deeply.

"What do you think?" She asked, glancing down. Sylvester looked up, their eyes meeting as she waited for his response. After all, he would be going with her to. He had wormed his way into her lone wolf way of living and begrudgingly had accepted him into her one woman pack. She pursed her lips as he meowed his reply, neither helping nor offering any insight and went back to cleaning his paws.

"Ahh what do you know, typical male." She went back to stroking his fur, "Never can make a good decision."

In the end she had made the choice herself. It was time to go, as much as she loved this little hideaway she was wasting time and so had begun packing up what she had set up her small home with she found it weirdly sad, knowing she would be leaving what seemed like the only place she had actually thought of as home.

She stopped by the school to tell them of her impending departure as she informed the director of the language program, Steven of her leaving. Many tears were shed – mostly by the kids and … possibly one of two of her own not that she would admit to that.

Two weeks later and it was all official. The house couldn't be sold to anyone within the village as they were still to suspicious in spite of her having lived by herself so she went into the nearest city, to a property buyer, they listened to her story before seeing pictures of the house she had taken and agreed to buy it from her.

Of course it was for slightly less of what she had used to do it up, but she did get it for free after all so couldn't complain. Once she had signed on the line her house was no longer hers and it made her sad but she couldn't dwell. Next was to get Sylvester ready to fly – as he was a stray he hadn't had his shots and according to the pamphlet she had read, if an animal hadn't been checked and ok'd by a vet they couldn't leave the country.

So it was off to the nearest vets. He hated it; he put up a fight and scratched her like she had never been scratched before. But in the end she won. Once he had been inoculated and given a chip, she was free to take him and so one unhappy cat being carried in his little case. She was free to leave.

Only to find that in trying to book her flight, was told that all trips to Australia had been put on hold, she was annoyed. When had this happened? And why?

A hurricane

That was what had caused all flights to be cancelled. A storm the size of Texas was battering half the coast of Queensland and New South Wales making it dangerous to fly in such conditions. After getting answers, the revelling crowd dispersed, unhappy at being delayed but mollified by the explanation.

How had she not heard about the storm? Surely she wasn't that much of a recluse; she did read the papers each morning. But nothing had come up, either way she wasn't going that day which put her in an awkward spot.

What to do next? It was clear this hurricane wasn't going to settle overnight, and she didn't have a home any longer, staying in hotels would be expensive and she wanted to save as much as she could. So what was she to do?

Sitting back in her chair she closed her eyes pondering her next move it was just her luck something like this should happen. Exhaling heavily she let her head fall against the back tiredly until a voice on the speakers' made her look up.

"Flight 756 to Hong Kong now boarding, will passengers please make their way to the gate."

Hong Kong there was an idea.

She had always enjoyed the city and its sights. It would be easier to get a flight there and when the storms had settled in Australia, fly out from there. Either way she needed to so something and so hurrying back through to the check in she asks if she could switch her flight from the 628 to the one going to Hong Kong, of course the only seats left available are the back end of the economy ones but she doesn't care and so one ticket change later, followed by the mad dash back to catch the last of the people boarding, she is on her way in the other direction.

She could always work her way back to Australia later.

She never did.

It took her a while. But eventually she had found a few odd jobs working here and there in the nightlife end of the working hours, it meant she lost sleep and didn't get to see the sunrise as much as she liked. But it was money and so she didn't complain. Sylvester had been put in Quarantine so she didn't even have him to come home to, not that it was much of a home.

It was just a rented box for all it's served, far too small but was all she could afford. Until one day she got a phone call from Steven – she had been surprised but listened to his reason for calling, he had been slowly expanding his venture, setting up buildings dedicated to teaching classes in places all over Asia, his next goal was to get to Japan but now he had three in Beijing, two in Hong Kong.

After hearing about the news in Australia he had texted to see if she was alright, only to hear how her plans had changed and now she was back in China, hence why he was calling now. He wanted to know if she was willing to teach some of the kids who had already signed up for his courses.

It seemed like the most logical choice. The kids in Thailand liked her enough. It was easy and better money meant a nicer place to rent. She didn't have to take long to answer.

Which was how she found herself sitting in what could be called the AE department of the local hospital two months later, one of the children had sliced themselves good on a pair of scissors and instead of scoffing at how she shouldn't have been holding an adult pair, had to go with him to get stitches.

What she didn't know however. Was that in taking the small boy to the hospital that day, she was going to get her biggest breakthrough in searching for the others since the day she started. Whilst the doctor had taken the little kid to get his hand seen to, she had sat back in the waiting room patiently.

But she was bored. It had taken two hours just to get seen to and as much as she could just keep on sitting there she found herself getting restless and thirsty, not really two combinations that went but could be sorted by a simple action.

So off she went. Hunting the nearest coffee machine or café or what it was the hospital had.

Augustus Booth was terrified. On waking that day to searing pains shooting through his leg, not once did he think that his past would be coming back to meet him. His whole life – this _new _life, he had lived it exactly how he wanted. He did what he wanted, when he wanted and had no one to tell him otherwise.

No Gepetto… no blue fairy, no one he had a new start and he was determined to live it. Of course that wasn't to say he didn't miss his father, he did but the man was overbearing and it stifled him to the point of near resentment.

Selfless – that was what Rheal had called him. The moment he jumped over that little boat his biggest wish had been granted. She had given him the gift of being real, and with that came the very real emotions that plagued humans.

Want, greed, jealousy, spite, hate – all of it – they hit him like the side of a tree. But the little that he did fell of them hadn't had a chance to grow thanks to the curse. His father, in spite of what blue had said, kept some of the tree back that was fashioned to make the wardrobe belonging to the princess, he had kept it because he knew she was lying.

Everyone had an agenda. Even the most virtuous, so when that day finally came he was placed inside the little cupboard not knowing what to expect, the new world was scary but it was new and as much as he wanted to go back home – he had tried and failed when the tree refused him – he knew that he had to make it the best he could from then on.

He didn't know what happened to the others. He didn't know what happened to Emma, he had been picked up wandering the side of the road and was placed into what he came to learn was a home for orphans. He ran away a few years later and from then on the world was what he made of it.

Years later and… chance … coincidence he didn't know. But by a serendipitous fortune he met Emma. Of course he didn't know who she was at the time. The young woman who stood in front of him was bitter, angry and very cynical of the world that had screwed her over. At first he had thought them kindred spirts, two souls who the universe had spat on and left to struggle.

Imagine his shock when he heard her beginnings. Being left in a truck stop café by a woman who no one could find - since they had discovered the bars on the windows in the toilets wrenched free from the sockets – they had been befuddled at that seeing as they had been welded, but she had left the baby alone with no formal identification save the name on her blanket.

He was smart. The many jobs he had taken to ensure his survival meant he had to be, learnt skills that would have made the woodcarver faint and his ethical and morality issues many a time called into question. But on seeing the little scrap of paper she had been given. A joke, she laughed harshly, at the home she had ended up in.

It had the picture of the then baby Emma held in the arms of the woman who had served the supposed Mother of the child, and the cup of coffee that had been left at her side. Apparently they had all thought it hilarious – understandably she hadn't.

But his mind wasn't on the picture. His eyes had caught the date and was silently working them up in his mind. He was already a few years older than the blonde, and according to the date on the paper, she had been left at the truck stop on exactly the same date he had come to the new world.

He couldn't ever forget that date, it was branded clear in his mind when he had been educated all about the months, days, years, times…

But none of that mattered right now, all he could think was that in front of him, that very moment… was the saviour.

Of course he could never tell her who he was, seeing her so distrustful, so guarded against everything. He wondered just who it was that had left her in the truck stop – did they come from their world to or had they simply found her somewhere and taken her to safety. Either way he knew if he said anything she would most likely punch hm.

What he could do though. Was make sure she was ok. After living the life of a criminal for so long, he had started to feel something akin to remorse, the gift he had been given squandered as he allowed himself to fall in deeply with all that went against what the fairies had described him.

He was selfish, he knew it and so knowing how disappointed his father would be if he was to see him now, made the choice to watch over her. If he could make sure she was on the right track until the time came when she was to break the curse, it would somehow make up for the sins he had lived.

They came together like brother and sister. Maybe in the beginning he had harboured a small crush on her, but after six months travelling from place to place – the relationship fell into that of siblings. He could honestly say he was having a good time, it was nice to have another for company the last people he had been with didn't house the feeling of warmth and welcoming.

That was until Neal came along.

It was disconcerting to say the least. He had been out trying to score them a new hideout whilst she went to find transport, something that wouldn't be missed. What she had brought back instead was a yellow bug and him.

He sees the look on her face, seen the normally scowling face brighten with happiness and laughter, she likes him and if what he's seen on Neal's a face he like her to, but he was more suspicious.

Where had he come from? Who was he? Where did he live and why did he get such a weird feeling about when he was near. He had tried asking questions, being friendly as Emma had put it but it seemed to strange that the man would do his best to evade the topic of himself, always look uncomfortable.

Emma had pulled him aside and said quietly to stop it, some people simply didn't like talking about themselves. But it was more than that, Neal was hiding something and he wasn't going to stop until he found out what.

Try he did, but the other man was good. Really good, he wasn't sure whether it was just because like them he was a grafter – a small time crook but he had held his tongue even under the most stressful of situations. Each failure he got closer to Emma, he could see them … pushing him away.

It was then he got a call off some of his old friends. They were planning a small heist and needed his security skills, he saw the way he was – a third wheel and as much as he would have liked to stick to his self – promise he knew that it was now just Emma and Neal – no him about it.

So he accepted. Telling Emma was tough, she had been shocked and angry and hurt. Yelling at him for hours, it was then he got angry himself and shouting back that she was to wrapped up in Neal to notice and that if he had just simply left, he doubted she would have noticed then either. She fell quiet at that. She had been spending time with Neal yes, maybe too much time but that didn't mean she didn't notice her friend.

He was her brother, her best friend, she didn't want him to go. But he had already said yes and so there was nothing he could do, she cried into his chest he never did tell her he wanted to go, that he wasn't going to put up with being ignored any longer in spite of her plea that she would pay attention to him more.

He had given up on his quest to try and find anything about Neal. The man was clean as far as he could tell, there was nothing on him he could use to try and make him go away. He wanted Emma to be happy and if Neal made her then he was ok with that.

The last day he was spending with Emma he had to with Neal unfortunately and so as they walked through the streets of New York on their way to get lunch, they had seen a bunch of kids running around in weird little costumes.

Emma had laughed and asked if it was Halloween, it wasn't as it was only July but for some reason they could see the kids all wearing costumes, as they looked at them closer they could see it was outfits from Disney or something – Snow white, Cinderella, what looked like a few dwarves.

"Hey look," They turned to see Neal staring across the road. They followed to see the bookshop over the other side. Looking up Emma read the banner hanging underneath.

"Two hundred years of Brothers Grimm" She pursed her lips before turning and shrugging. "Most likely why the sprogs are dressed up weird,"

August nodded his head as Neal chuckled. They were still hungry and so turned intent on reaching the diner when a couple of kids rushing to the traffic stop ran in between.

"Hey watch it!" Emma looked down as they raced through them. Neal had still been laughing but it stopped once something hit his ears, one of the small boys had been running and as he had he was repeating one of the more well-known chants that had been in the tale told over time.

"Rumpelstiltskin is my name and no one knows it! Rumpelstiltskin is my name and no one knows it!"

His heart clenched a little and his breath came out a tiny bit faster. No matter how many times he heard that name it never failed to make him react. Somewhere under the blood in his ears he heard someone calling him.

"Neal,"

He lifted his head to see Emma staring at him eyes showing concern under her rimmed glasses. "You ok?"

Licking his suddenly dry lips he nodded. "Yeah, just had a horrible thought for a moment,"

"Oh?" She was looking more worried for him and so in a bid to lighten the moment and get off topic he grinned, giving her a lop-sided smile. "I thought that thy might have run out of waffles… You know the little ones that you can dip entirely in syrup."

She stared at him blankly for a moment not saying a word, until finally she started laughing. "You dolt," She shook her head and carried on walking.

He watched her go for a moment his smile fading before he too went to walk only to stop on seeing the look August was giving him. The other man had seen the way his face dropped on hearing the kid chant. He had been confused as to why but now as the more he looked, the more it was coming back.

In the back of his mind to a place he had long buried his past. A time when he had been sitting in the little workshop his father used to do his work. He had known and blue's visit and so instead of doing his numbers like he was told he had gone and hidden behind the small cabinet and listened.

They were discussing something rather heatedly by the sounds of it and he focused on the words – something about the curse. The fairy was adamant that it was the Dark one who was the creator, she had come to ask if he could commission the last of the enchanted trees to fashion a wardrobe ready for when it did strike.

He only heard vague things after that but when the older man asked did she possibly know why he was setting of the curse, she had paused for a moment before replying. She went on to say how years before – centuries, the dark one before he became the monster he was today had a son, who had called for her help.

As soon as he killed Zoso and was inflicted with the immortal curse of darkness he became different. He scared his son so much with his love for power that he had begged her to help, she of course had with the aid of the magic bean giving Bealfire the chance to escape, which he had.

Ever since then he had been hell-bent on finding his son again leading up to the curse that was threatening them now.

As he stared at Neal, like it just clicked, he knew – he knew that Neal … _Bealfire_ was the Dark one's son.

He kept his gaze on him even as Neal turned to see him stare. "Aug, you ok man?" He was a little unnerved at the look he was getting before August blinked and smiled

"Yeah – sorry just wanted to make sure you know – you still look a little sick." The other man chuckled and waved him off, walking until he could nudge his side.

"Nah I'm ok – come on, or Emma will have ordered our lunches and eaten them herself." August let him go, a pensive look on his face before he started walking after him.

He kept quiet the rest of the day, letting the other two plan the day – Neal having gotten over his little altercation with the name and was now laughing along with what Emma was saying never seeing the stares sent his way by the other man, who now had everything he needed to make sure he left the blonde alone.

It wasn't that Neal wasn't a good guy, he was, but he was also leading Emma away from her duty, down a path that would do no good. Nothing against him but he had to go, which was why when they got back to the small flat he and Emma shared he left them alone to pack but kept his door open so he could hear.

They had been planning something, a steal of some sort. As he was leaving he declined to join them but now saw the as the opportunity to get rid of him once and for all.

That night when Neal was heading home, August made sure to leave five minutes before feigning needing something from the shop before waiting until he walked passed, he then followed him until Neal turned and quickly dragged him to a side ally.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!"

August smiled. "Telling you to leave Emma alone," The dark haired man pulled back at that, his face showing his confusion. "What? Why?"

"Just leave her alone." He had no idea what to say. He always thought that the other man liked him. He was nothing but nice so where this had come from he didn't know. But he wasn't going to do that. He liked Emma and August was leaving, he had no right to demand such a thing.

"No way, I like her, besides I'm all she'll have once you go, abandoning her."

His jaw clenched but didn't rise to the bait. Instead he pushed his hands off his jacket and fixed his collar. "I'll say it once more. Stay away from her,"

"Or what?" By now Neal was getting sick of his attitude, he had thought Augustus was a nice guy but it just showed what he knew as he glared at the other man.

"What are you going to do, you're leaving." He taunted once more still annoyed to hell by his smile. "What the hell is so funny?"

Saying nothing he leaned in a little, to his ear before speaking. "I know your secret."

Neal pulled back staring at him. Confusion across his face before the slightest hints or worry and fear flashing in his eyes before his face went blank.

"Don't know what you're talking about." The chuckle in got in reply was enough to get him angry again and he grabbed his shirt once more. "You best stop laughing and start talking otherwise I'm going to leave you here … don't know how just yet, and tell Emma you've already left."

Once more his hands were pushed away as the two stared at each other hatefully before the brown haired man reached into his inside pocket mindful of the look Neal was giving him before pulling out a small scroll like paper.

Passing it over he waited silently. Neal looked at the paper on more confusion and still partly frustration. Lifting his head he merely got a look that told him to read what was on the page as he unrolled it and looked down.

There was only four words on the entire sheet but they were four words that had his blood running cold and his heart constricting tighter than before. Snapping his head back up he looked at him only to find the other man smiling back at him knowingly.

"How."

He shrugged. "Wasn't hard, I had a feeling you had been hiding something the moment you refused to talk about you're past. Even Emma, who had the shittiest life I know – can talk about her childhood – you… not a word"

Neal swallowed the lump in his throat heavily and looked back to the scroll. "I have to admit. You were good, you made me work hard to try and find something, but nothing ever came my way. Not even a name of anywhere local. But I guess being a con you have to keep moving… it really was by luck that today you gave that one thing away."

Closing his eyes he thought back to the way he had clammed up when that kid chanted his papa's name, how he had seen him stare and knew that he had been rumbled.

He stared at the name he had so long fought to forget. He knew that Augustus would tell Emma – not about the forest as even he wasn't that stupid, not yet. But he would tell her that he had been lying to her for so long. If there was one thing she hated, it was liars – having had enough of them her whole life.

He scrunched the sides hard and knew he had won. "What do you want me to do."

The last thing August heard of Emma when he got back from his last job. Was that she had been sentenced to a year and a half long spell in prison for a watches theft gone wrong, curtesy of the man who had set her up, he had been given a note from Neal who had fled on his orders and went to the station where she had been caught, to the locker on the other side as to not arouse suspicion.

Inside he found a bag containing money and the keys to the yellow bug. He had been asked to give it to her as a way of saying sorry. Neal was a good guy and he knew he did have feelings for her so he did what was asked. Taking the bag he made his way back to his hotel room to write the letter, before sending it on to the forwarding address in Vancouver.

He then cancelled the rest to his stay at the hotel and got the next flight out of America. Two more stops and he made it to Phuket. Once he had set himself up with accommodation and had been settling down he then sent Emma the keys to the car, but the side of him that was selfish had kept the money at his side.

It wasn't like she was going to need it in prison was she.

Fast forward to day and he was panicking, he had been woken up to horrendous pains and was terrified on pulling back his cover to find his leg – his once flesh and blood leg, was wood.

His leg was wood. With horror he realized he was reverting back to his wooden self. After that was a blur as he desperately tried to find a cure which was why he was in hospital now shouting blue murder at the doctor.

Regina was lost. She had been now for at least ten minutes, as much as she had picked up on Chinese it wasn't enough to ask for directions and so had grumbled, complained, ranted, raged and bitched up and down the busy halls. As she came round the corner she could hear someone yelling from the room to the left of her.

'Poor bugger' she thought as she moved on but stopped on realizing that the person was speaking English… maybe they knew how to get the canteen or at least to a cup of tea and so was going to wait until they finished but from what she could hear it sounded like they could be a while. She had to get back before the little boy found her missing and panicked and so was going to keep moving until a scent hit her.

Stopping, she lifted her head and inhaled deep. Her sense of smell was something that had never failed her, not even over here and so she knew that if she smelt something off – chances are it was – and right now what she was smelling was very off.

Not in the bad food kind of way – more like whoever was in that room she had to speak to, she slowed and was about to turn when she heard – as clear as the man had shouted for all to hear.

"IT'S WOOD! MY LEG IS WOOD. HOW CAN YOU NOT SEE?"

Wood – well that was interesting. And gave her all the more confirmation that whoever was in that room she definitely had to talk to, hearing scuffling from the inside she need to act quick, so rushing off down the hall she made her way round the other side and waited. Seconds later the man came running from the room.

He slammed into passing nurses in his haste as he fought to get away from the man who had called security. Regina pulled her head back as he raced by, and sending a text to the assistant at the school, that she had to leave and could they come and pick the little boy up she took off after him.

As he had run ahead and kept on running she had to beat him to the outside and so when they got to the ground floor - he went one way as she turned and raced down the other doors. If she was right then he would turn left and keep going until he got to the main street. There he could take any route leading from the crossroads and she would lose him.

If that happened she could always sniff him out, but she wanted to see who he was.

Coming out through the doors. She finally found the god dam café as she ran past it, she looked to the small ally leading to the street he was to rush by and jumped the steps before running up the narrow path until she came to a stop, all she had to wait. The sounds of people yelling angrily gave her hope that he was coming, but it fell on seeing him rush across the road to the path on the other side.

"Son of a bitch!"

She hissed before running out and dodging the passing car that beeped as she rushed into the road. Keeping her eyes on him she made it to the other side before the long chase started as she weaved in and out of passing people all the while keeping an eye on the man now speed walking as he dipped in and out of view.

He kept walking. Cutting across roads and through small ally's looking behind him every so often making her pause as she hid from his sight. He must have been paranoid as he turned round and hurried off – wondering where it was she was going she never lost track of him until finally he slowed his speed.

He came to a small building block and gave the area around another look up and down as she watched from her spot behind the wall. Where the hell was this place? She could say she hadn't been here before and if she wasn't so sure she could find her way back she would have given up for fear of getting lost long ago.

She watched as he hurried into the building wrenching the door open and disappearing inside. She knew that unless he ran out the back door that she had him and so hurried over a few seconds later. It was one of those infernal buzz entry doors but she had learnt enough about them through others and the TV to know the little trick.

Moving to the buttons she lifted her hand and pressed the top one before running her hand down the long line on the side. Reaching the bottom she held the last one for a moment before taking her hand away. She waited and smiled in victory as the buzzer signalled allowing her in. She pushed on the door and moved inside letting it bang behind her.

He had vanished but it wasn't hard to find him using her excellent nose, she sniffed him going up three flights of stairs and so knew he had no chance of escape as she stepped out onto the hall. It was clearly one of those buildings where the family all knew each other and so had to move her way through a couple who had their door open and were on the landing.

She smiled at them as they watched her go past. Keeping her head down she ignored the rest using the little times she did look up to sniff him out – the air was mixed with the others on the hall but she carried on walking until she turned the corner, there at the end to the right was his door.

He was a bloody tricky to have followed but she had, she found him and was happy so without wasting another second she moved and knocked on his door, there was no sound inside before a small scuffle could be heard. She knew that he had no intention of answering, he didn't look the type to have many visitors and so raised her hand again.

The second knock was accompanied by her speaking. "I know you're in there, I watched you enter so there is no point in hiding." She looked away making sure no one was looking as finally the door was opened, she looked amused at the chain attached to the door as he peeked out.

"Who are you?" He frowned having never seen her before in his life. They meet each other's gaze for that one moment before she pounced, his eyes widened and he tried to shut the door only for it to come flying open. He gasped on seeing the bolt come breaking off its hinge and the chain rip from the door as she pushed her way inside.

He said nothing for a moment which gave her time to strike as his back hit the side of the wall. He looked terrified and rightly so as she said nothing, leaning in she sniffed his neck.

His fast paced breathing slowed on realizing what she was doing and looked to see her, his fear turning into confusion as she moved her head around slowly – she picked up his arm and sniffed his wrist.

"… What are you doing."

He was stopped by her finger as she took one last inhale before lifting her head still keeping his arm in her grip. "Elm's oak. Century's old, but on you – around thirty three. Heavily scented with sea water and Gracilaria which if memory serves can only be found in one specific place."

She holds him as he struggles in her grip before turning her head and looking him straight in the eyes. "The Maritime Kingdom. Or more commonly known as Ariel and Eric's underwater lair, isn't that right… Pinocchio."

His struggling stops as he snaps his head up to her. There's a glimmer in her dark eyes that speaks of her victory, the smug look that crossed her lips as she guessed his identity, he is to shocked to speak but eventually time catches up and with a strong shove, pushes her back.

"How the hell do you know that name"

She has to give him credit. Standing there all determined, a strong, clenched jaw and a fire in his eyes as he faces her. Not many can say they have done that without realizing just what a mistake it was when they found out later on what she was, but by then they would be dead. She gives him a once over before meeting his gaze.

"Let's just say you're not the only one to have travelled through a wardrobe and found Narnia on the other side." She crossed her arms as he tried to work out the meaning of her words, finally they come to him and he gapes uncharacteristically at her.

"You mean – you're from the enchanted forest."

"Though I suppose Narnia would be a hell of a lot easier to navigate then this place has been," She mutters going to tandem now that her thoughts had taken a turn. He clicked his fingers in front of her face gaining her attention.

"You're from the enchanted forest." She nods once he falls silent again as he tries to work out something else that had now come to him. This was big, he's finally found someone else that had come from the same place he had that wasn't Bealfire or Emma.

Emma.

Wait… "Do you know someone called Emma?" He asks looking at her, the look of indifference never falters but there is something, a slight passing in her eyes that he sees for the barest of milliseconds before its gone and she purses her lips.

"I might know of a person with that name… it had been a while after all."

But it's all coming to him. How Emma had said she had been left at the stop, how they could find the woman – young girl who had left her there, how the bars that had been welded onto the window ripped away, he looks over her shoulder to see the door almost off its hinges and he works it out.

"You were the one to leave her alone at the truck stop all those years ago." It's more of a statement then question as her silence says it all, at once his fear of who she might be vanished and he laughed.

"Do you have any idea who important she is? And you go and just dump her in the nearest place you can find. How stupid could you get."

His next words were cut off as she angrily pushed him back against the wall. Her hand around his neck as she leaned in closer, he tried to pry her hand off, tried to breath but her hand was unmoveable. He looked into her angry eyes as she near growled out her next words.

"Do I look like I give a fuck about that stupid girl, I was lost to in case it hadn't crossed your mind, but I guess being wood mean's you're intelligence isn't all there either."

She held him firm as he gripped her hand. "I didn't care about her then and I don't care about her now, all I want is to be able to find my family again."

She finally let up moving back she gave him a disgusted glare as he bent coughing. Looking up he saw the steely look and wheezed out. "So… if you don't care, why are you here."

She laughed disbelievingly at him. "You're head really is nothing but wood isn't it? Amazing but like I said." She moved to the door ignoring his glare at her insult and looked over her shoulder just as she placed her hand on the door's edge.

"You're the first person I have found in near enough twenty six years. If you are here then that means there are more out there or I'm getting close to what I want, but right now what I want is to have a little talk."

She stepped behind the door and placed her hand on the handle. "And you're not going anywhere, until you tell me exactly what you know, and trust me – do not leave a single thing out, you won't like what happens if you do."

With that she slams the door shut trapping him inside.


	6. To Find You

**Hello,**

**Sorry I have been late in putting this up - that sick relative was my nan, who died and so I just haven't had the will or motivation to do anything these past few days - plus a funeral to attend and helping to sot out her house left me with not a lot of time. **

**But its here - the first chapter of any of my stories I have mustered the effort to write. So I hope everyone enjoy it.**

**I don't own OUAT. **

**PS - still no spelling correct so any mistakes I apologize for in advance.**

* * *

><p>"Are you sure he's coming"<p>

August turned to look at the woman at his side. Her boredom easily read on her face and sighed. Ever since that day she had found him in Hong Kong he had insisted they stick together, as much as he felt out of sorts with how she had known who he was since he had never met her before in his life – she was the only one he had met that wasn't in America.

But right now he was regretting bringing her along to the meeting, a feeling he had experienced not for the first time throughout their journeying. He hadn't at the time – but a few days in when they had been talking and making plans, he began to realize that out of all the people from the forest he had met, she was going to be the most difficult.

His deductions were right. He had witnessed her being rude to practically everyone they met, her vocabulary was louder and extensively more cruder then his was, had an attitude that boarded on haughty to the point of arrogance, mocked those around her and if there had been no one around to belittle – had been the recipient of her more creative insults.

At times he wondered why he had ever suggested travelling with each other. He would have had a hell of an easier life if he had decided to go his separate way.

It was her knowledge that he guessed was why he stuck around. He didn't know how, but she was smart when it came to enchanted forest. He had been curious as to how she knew so much, especially about curses when he brought them up – she didn't know about this one – only that it was the biggest one she had come across much less be a victim of which gave him pause as to wonder just who it was he was travelling with.

But for all his digging and pestering, he could never get more than what she told him, and that wasn't very much. All he knew was her name and that she came from a Village West of the Forbidden Mountain, other than that she was a brick wall. Being careful to never reveal what he could work with.

He got that she was a magic user. Or at least had teachings in the subject for the times he did catch her on a good mood and she divulged information. They had flown back to America as he told her that was where he met Emma. He noted she didn't flinch or look the least bit guilty when he told her the life she had.

Guess what she said about the blonde was true.

But he couldn't dwell on that. They had returned to the states to carry on their search and for him to make sure Emma was ready to break the curse when she needed to, personally Regina didn't see why it was the other woman who had to be the one, any of them could have a chance as none of them had been affected like the rest had, surely they had the same ability to break the spell.

He didn't have an answer but he said that it had to be her. She gave up after a while not caring after that… just as long as she led them back to her family, the blonde could dress up in a cape and call herself Swan girl for as much interest she had in her life. She also had her own reasoning for wanting to go back to America seeing as Australia was no longer an option.

She didn't tell the other man. But she had been thinking and her strongest theory was that wherever the rest where – they were in America, it made her searching the other places moot but she had been taking in all he had said and the fact that the baby turned young adult, and another who he had mentioned - had all been in the place they had first learnt once realizing they were in a different world, it made her think that they had been here all along.

She just never looked hard enough.

Months later, all her work and effort would pay off in the form of a small boy who in Boston. She read in the paper that he was found wandering the road near the coast line in Maine, crying for his father and on getting him to talk finally - spoke of a town he and his dad had visited. It was small and not well known, in fact they had found it by accident and when they had left only to get into a car crash some way down the road, he tried to go back but found the town no longer where he had seen it.

She dropped the paper and rushed to tell August, who smiled at the welcoming news. To the rest who just thought him a tearful and sad boy who had simply misplaced his steps, to them … it was the answer they had finally been waiting for.

She had busied herself with trying to find out more about Maine. About the towns that resided there and the places boy said he had been close to, if she could get the locations down to a workable point on the map – it would make pinpointing the spot he had found the town easier.

She had noted, also with some curiosity and some suspicion. August more restless than usual, he seemed anxious as the days went past. It had been nearing the twenty eighth year now – she didn't know why that was so monumental but to him it seemed so, it was why she was confused on him coming from the other room that Thursday morning telling he was going to meet someone.

He didn't say who and the look on her face had him asking rather than inviting if she wanted to come along, something told him he wouldn't be going alone anyhow and sighed when she agreed, hence why they were now waiting on fifth street by the curb in New York.

"He'll be here, he said he would."

She shook her head and blew out a small breath, leaning against the side of her car before looking the other way. He looked around before sitting on the seat of his bike – why she had a car he didn't know. He had many a time offered her the back seat on his bike – so much faster but she refused, saying in no lifetime – ever would she sit on the back of a bike… especially with him at the handlebars.

Just one of the many insults over the years and so he learnt to brush it off before leaving her to her car. Sometime later, when she was contemplating how many hotdogs she could get away with eating before he made a remark she heard him stand from his bike and turned to see him looking the other way.

Leaning up a little she frowned at the sight of a broad looking man – about 5'10 – 5'11 coming towards them. She eyed him top to bottom as he approached, he had dark brown hair and a strong jawline… she lifted her head as he came to a stop in front of them.

"August,"

Her eyes flicked from one to the other at the sight of his nervous stance and his slightly reluctant way he greeted the other man… could there have been drama before she met him perhaps? August greeted the brown haired man with a nod.

"Bealfire"

Bealfire's eyes widened before his eyes trailed to the left of him to her, and were even more alarmed when he noticed her staring directly at them before back to August again.

"What the hell!"

Holding a hand to stop his protests he shook his head. "It's fine. She's from our world, like us she comes from the enchanted forest." Brown eyes dart back to her once more this time with slight puzzlement and wonder, before like her own; they gaze over with slight unease as he nodded lightly.

"So who are you?"

She inhaled at the direct question before speaking. "My name is Regina."

He frowned a little at the short reply, as he glanced at the sandy haired man for more explanation only to see him shake his head. "Wouldn't bother – you won't get any more than that trust me."

Not happy but having to accept, he gave her one last look and she smirked at the distrust that resurfaced back in his eyes before he finally started talking about why they had met up.

Eventually they had all migrated to the nearest café. To appease her hunger and stop her pestering before they sat at the end booth to talk more privately.

With her plate of practically everything fried, Regina settled down not seeing the look of slight revulsion and a little awe at the size of her dish as she picked up her fork. August too gave her plate a look, it was nothing new to him one of the things he had noted about the raven haired woman, was that she ate like a garbage disposal but never gained any weight, it was both maddening and fascinating.

Knowing that he would have at least fifteen minutes… maybe twenty if she got desert, he turned round to Bealfire and began talking. Sometime into the conversation he asked if he could use his other name and she looked up on hearing his other name.

"Must have been a hell of a journey from Hong Kong"

August thinks back to all the times he nearly wanted to throw himself from something tall of fast moving as he hears the woman at the side of him devour her dinner and nods resigned, his life was infinitely more easier on his own.

"You've looked better." He is about to reply when a snort has him stopping. Both men turn to look at her as she smirks at them. "What."

"He's looked better - are you kidding? Do you know what I've had to put up with for the past few weeks? _I've _looked better, in fact I have been better – or rather would have if not his bloody bitching most days."

Neal is silent as he looks to August who looks slightly tense. His jaw is locked firm and his eyes are hard as he sighs and pulls his wallet out. He shoves a twenty in her hand as she looks to him confused.

"Here – just go… get something sweet and stay over there would you." She opens her mouth to respond but then turns her head to the door where the picture of the triple empire state sundae is on offer for anyone who wanted to have a go and grins.

Challenge accepted.

He lets out a sigh as she slides from the booth and over to ask the waitress leaving them alone. He turns to find Neal's brows arched high. "Don't ask.

"I wasn't really… but where the hell did you find her?" He sighs and shakes his head before going into the short version of how they had met. Neal listens intently as his minds goes over what he says.

"So she knew who you were just by what? Sniffing you,"

August nods. "Knew who I was and what kind of wood Father used - whereabouts in the forest it came from to." Once again he doesn't say anything, but he is impressed. He gives the woman now perched at the counter another small look.

"And you still don't know who she is," Watching his open his mouth he quickly adds. "Other than her name that is…"

"No, she won't say. Just that she lived near the forbidden mountain in a small village. Believe me I've tried, but she's good at keeping everything in – not even a misplaced word to go on."

Pursing his lips, Neal ponders on the small mystery but is interrupted by August, who looks at him with worry in his eyes. "There is another reason why we met you today."

"Oh?" He nods licking his lips before carrying on. "I'm turning back to wood, Neal."

The dark haired man lifts his head a little at the sudden news. "So… that mean's Emma's close to breaking the curse" The thought of the blonde sends a pang shooting through his chest but he ignores it as August looks to where Regina is before back to him. He hadn't told the woman about the blonde being in the cursed town, kept it to himself knowing her stance on the saviour.

"You're going there, aren't you?" He watches him nod. "I got to help her. It's the only way to stop from what's happening to me."

Hearing that Neal sighs and rubs his hand over his face, "You do realize doing that will bring my father looking for me? He's gonna remember and come looking."

The other man tilts his head knowing all about his issue with the man. "Flip side if this works out … you get to see Emma again." Neal let out a sharp bark of self-deprecating laughter before shaking his head.

"Not sure she wants to see me… Again… _ever,_" August tipped his head. "Well, you never know."

His only response was another tired sigh. It was that moment Regina joins them; she slides back into her seat next to him as they noticed the pleased smirk adorning her face.

"What."

"Nailed it," On their confused faces she points her thumb in the direction of the now empty sundae glass on the desk as the waitress stares at it with wide eyes.

"So much for a challenge, two and a half minutes flat." Once again they could only stare as she lets out a sigh and leans back, satisfied at her accomplishment.

"Did I at least get change?" The look he gets tells him he's both wrong and stupid. "Now what do you think?"

They make their way out, Regina declining the picture to put on the wall of fame as she joins them outside. Neal stands with his coffee to go as August swings his leg over his bike, helmet in his hand as he turns back to him. At the side of them Regina is opening the door to her car.

The door shuts as she gets her sunglasses from the glove compartment. Once she's ready she starts the car before beeping her horn. August looks at her before sighing and starting his bike. Stepping back the other man watches as he revs the engine.

"When the curse is broken, I'll send you a postcard." With that Neal watches as he revs the engine once more before riding off, followed a few seconds later by Regina as she eases from the curb and they set off down the street. He watches as they disappear into traffic before turning and bumping into the woman he would come to know as Tamara.

They split up near Times Square; if he wanted to plan for the trip to Maine then he had to get more money and supplies so he gives her a list of things to get as they go in separate directions. Once she has gone he stops near the edge of the park and pulls out a small piece of paper. It's something he had kept for a while now. – Something he didn't tell Regina about.

Unfolding the sheet and lifting it slightly. He starts to read the last thing he has on Emma Swan – not on the blonde herself, but rather what she had and gave up.

The little baby boy

On getting back to the states he had lost track of her once her term in jail was over. Without anything to go on he got in touch with the Arizona prison he knew she had been sent to as he and the other woman was in passing, he was merely inquiring if they had any information on her whereabouts perhaps – like some correctional facilities did when trying to turn around convicts.

He was calm, well-mannered and didn't once give anything away as he spoke to them. What he didn't expect was for the warden to tell him about the baby she had a few months into her sentence. He was stunned, and on thinking back knew for certain that it could only have been one mans, but when the warden asked if he was the father trying to track down the by now – small child.

He saw it as an opportunity to try and find out more about the little boy. All he was told was that it was a closed adoption and so posing as Neal he asked if he had anything that might have been left by social services that had been in the facility to organize the adoption. He sighed when the older man shook his head, but did tell him about the peculiar man who came to collect the little baby.

Was in his mid-forties maybe early fifties, had a slight limp and used a cane to walk with – was as charming as they came… oddly so for a simple man of the state.

When August asked if he knew his name… to get in touch with him – he did have to act like a wronged parent after all, all he man knew was that he went by the name of Gold, a name that didn't strike a chord with the once wooden boy.

With nothing else to go on he thanked the man who wished he could have helped more but did give him the last little bit of information he did have about the incident and wished him all the best in trying to make a connection with the child if he ever found him, that paper he had kept with him right up until that moment.

He only had a hunch that she might have gone looking for the boy – changed her mind and wanted to know who he was, be in his life – he didn't know. But from what he had heard from Neal about who his father was, and the man that had been the social worker that day in the prison, again it was only his theory but he had begun to think.

Was Gold and Neal's father one and the same? Had he somehow known about Emma's baby and had took him back to wherever the town was… could he even get out of town. So many questions and all unlikely but with the dark one it was impossible to tell what he could do, so knew the only way he was going to get any answers was by finding the town once and for all.

It takes them two days but finally they are ready to leave New York. If August was twitchy with anticipation Regina was brimming with nervous energy, something she hadn't felt in a long while. But she could tell, this time – in her heart that this was it – this time they would come out the other side successful.

The drive out of the city is long but eventually they make it to the open road and East. They didn't really have a cover story as to why they were travelling so far from where they lived. He wanted to go as far as they could before stopping for the night, something she agreed with and so they drove straight for 6 hours, stopping only for gas before finally the night.

Checking into two rooms – something she had always insisted on she puts her things in her room before coming to his as he settles on the end of the bad and looks at the map she has out on the table.

"The kid said that he and his dad crashed near someplace between Storybrooke and a place called rocky peaks. Now I've looked and those are near a place called Ellsworth… on their way to the Acadia national park. Now given he said it was a coastal town, I've been looking it over and have narrowed down the possible places it could be… and."

She turns the map round as he sits upright. "By my reckoning, Storybrooke could be anywhere from Trenton all the way up to bar harbour,"

He stares at the map. They don't seem that far away and with the coordinates she had painstakingly spent time researching and written down, he felt that they could really find this town and so looks to her smiling.

"We're getting closer."

The smile he gets in return is one of genuine and not the slightly fearing one that came just before something bad like he was used to. They spend a little more going over what they've got and eventually come up with a mini plan before retiring for the night, she nods to him before leaving the room as he gets ready for bed before moving under the sheets.

Looking up at the ceiling, he contemplates what could happen once they reach Storybrooke. If the curse was already breaking then what would that mean for him once he reaches that line? Would he go back to being normal or would he turn completely wooden again? He didn't know and he guessed that only time and the full effects once it broke would tell.

He reached over and shut off the light bathing the room in darkness.

"I told you to take the right!"

They had been travelling for hours now, they had been searching for three days, going to all the places on her list that the little boy might have visited and tried to work out where he might have stumbled across the town. The first two attempts they had no luck and so with each failure they moved on.

It would have been easier of course to just feel for the line – the one point were the earth felt lifted, the air smelt weird… but do to that she would need to sniff out the magic.

There was no magic in the place – she had known that for twenty eight years, so the chances of finding a curse created town was zero to minus ten. The only reason she had sniffed out the chunk of walking wood because he was magically introverted of sorts… plus he was already turning back to his natural form when she had met him it just made it easier for her to work out who he was.

But here she was looking for nothing – literally. Anyone who happened upon the place had been lost and unfortunately for them they had directions. She sighed and kept her hands on the wheel as he looked at the map, the day was already pissing her off and his complaining didn't help things.

"Oh just because I accidently backed into your bike, you're going to be like this all day are you." He snorted and turned to her, his eyes narrowed.

"Oh _accidentally, _was it… you've hated that bike for ages just say it – you pulled back deliberately." She turned to glare at him, her own eyes thin with anger at his comments.

"You know, I don't think I like your insinuations. So just remember, this car might have locks but that can easily be undone."

"Really? Turning violent already, I thought that didn't happen until at least three." She gave him a sharp grin as she leaned closer mindful of the road.

"I can make an exception were your concerned August, you know that." The smile dropped as she sat back. "So just sit back and shut up. We left it at a good mechanics didn't we?"

"Regina. A guy, who used to hotwire bikes when he was younger, doesn't count as a good mechanic… the fact he got caught says he isn't a very good anything."

The half shrug he got made him huff in agitation. "Hmm – what do you want me to say? He said he knew bikes and could have it running again in a few days or so… why are you bitching."

He spluttered unlike him for a couple of seconds before running a hand over his face. "You left my bike… with who the hell knows. What if he stripped it for parts? We're driving away from what could be the last chance I see my baby again."

Rubbing the crease between her brows the raven haired woman sighed, almost like the conversation was causing her grievance. "If anything, it was _you_ that left it with the man… I merely stated that it shouldn't have been behind my car in the first place."

"The only reason why I _had_ to leave it was because you were driving from the motel without me." He faced her angrily once more as she smirked.

"Now aren't you glad I didn't?"

He didn't speak. He couldn't, she was infuriating… plain and simple. Turning he lifted his leg so it was on the dashboard and placed his head on one hand shaking it.

"Unbelievable." As if to agree, though for entirely different reasons she nodded her head sagely. "I know."

They kept driving for another two hours until August noticed something. "Hey"

Regina had been in her own little world before he reached over and tapped her arm. "What." He nodded to the road as she followed his line of sight.

"What?"

"We've been driving now for at least three hours altogether, have you noticed that we haven't come across another car or a side diner… anything."

She looked back to the road, her eyes now calculating as she glanced from one side to the other. Now that he mentioned it, he looks and waits as she shakes her head.

"No…" She starts to speak but trails off as she reaches the conclusion he is hinting and turns back to him. "You think we're on the right path."

He smiles and nods. "Didn't the little boy mention the town to be near isolated?" She smiles wider now as he chuckles and looks to the road only to yell as he sees something in the middle.

"REGINA, WOLF!"

She snaps her head to the front. Sure enough in front of them is a grey wolf. The animal is standing in the very middle as it turns its head to the oncoming car. Not at all bothered at how fast its going as she swerves to avoid hitting it and it watches as they go past, screeching to a stop a couple of feet away.

Inside the car both are breathing heavy as her foot stays firmly on the brake pedal. Licking his lips to wet them he glances out the window to see the wolf still staring at them.

"What the fuck!"

She spat out having gotten her bearings and is now angry. Glaring through the rear-view mirror eyeing the animal with distaste before reaching for the handle and pushing the door open. Doing the same he moves to stand with her at the back as she inspects the side of the Mercedes, looking for damage as he turns to watch the wolf further.

It strange that it hasn't moved. In fact, he wasn't sure if it was just the near miss with the car. But he could have sworn he saw something flicker within the amber coloured eyes as the animal took to staring back, at his side he can vaguely hear Regina muttering about stupid dogs without leashes and lifts his arm to get her attention again.

"Regina."

"Somebody needs to get the bloody pest control, just walking all over the road."

"Regina."

"Could have ruined my beloved… mangy flea ridden beast."

"REGINA!"

Finally hearing him she hefts herself to her feet and spins to look at him. "WHAT!" Without speaking he nods back to the wolf as she looks to where he is looking and her lip curls.

"It's still here?" He nods "Yeah."

"Well, what does it want?" Turning to look, she glances at the wolf that is watching them carefully. A small lump rises unbidden in her throat as the more she now looks the more the creature reminds her of her best friend, the one she had not seen in near thirty years before looking away and back to her car.

"I don't know… but where do you think it came from."

She shrugs. "Beats me."

"Looks like it just came from nowhere." He says turning back. There was something about this wolf that had him intrigued. It seemed intelligent –though he knew wolves to be – in order to get food and such they had to think and work together, but this one seemed oddly so… like it was staring at them because…

Like he knew they were coming. It seemed illogical, how could a wolf know who they were much less known of their destination. But as it stared at them… he was sure.

"I think he wants us to follow him."

With her back to him she only hears half his words but when she does, she stiffens and slowly turns to him. "…Repeat that please."

"Look, I know I sound crazy."

"Didn't even have to open my mouth." He held up his hand. "But look, it's clear he's still here for something… what if he knows."

She doesn't reply. Simply eyes him for a moment as he looks back. Finally her eyes move past him as they land back on the still waiting wolf. The two face off for a few minutes… like a silent conversation of sorts before she sighs.

"Fine… let's follow a wild wolf, let see if he actually does led us somewhere." Her tone was one of resignation but her face said she did think and will forever hold him responsible if anything went wrong. He nodded grateful she didn't put up more of a fuss as they made as he made his way to the side door he vaguely heard her mutter something along the lines of 'lost and 'sides of cliffs'

But she followed him back to the car. She made sure to take care as she reversed and turned back so she was facing the wolf that was still waiting for them. Once it saw that they were willing to follow it set off up the road as they watched it go. She let out a sigh and shook her head before putting the car into drive.

"It's a dam good thing this part is deserted." Before she set off down the road after as he turned to look at her, "Why."

"That way when we do end up getting lost, all because we blindly followed one of nature's more cunning beasts… there won't be anyone to witness me killing and dumping your body." She said with a flourish before giving him a cheery grin.

They lazily drift the road as the wolf now had taken to going back to the sides and was now moving in and out of the trees. In fact if it weren't for her good eyesight they would have lost the animal completely.

"Ok this is stupid." They had been tailing the wolf for half an hour… something she found ridiculous to begin with, but the fact that it was leading them back to the last town was annoying her, she knew she shouldn't have listened to him… clearly this curse was effecting more than just his limbs.

"No – you know what I've just realized?" He turned to look at her. "I'm the one with the car, and I say, we're going back to our original plan… following this mutt – that's clearly laughing at us, to a place that possibly might kill us… "

She shakes her head and stops the car all intent on turning it around. August goes to argue but stops as he notices something, peering past her he narrows his gaze to something that he was sure wasn't there before. He did remember the way down and he was certain that it was new.

"You just better hope we have enough gas, otherwise you're pushing us to the next town." She sighs and looks over her shoulder, feeling both angry and annoyed at having wasted time.

"That wasn't there before, was it?" Closing her eyes in agitation. She counts to ten in the hopes of minimizing the anger that is slowly building in her stomach, before turning to him.

"What."

Nodding he doesn't reply. He could see how pissed off she was getting and just hoped to whatever was listening that the wolf had actually been leading them somewhere… he knew she was serious in all her threats and so smiled hoping to placate her as she sneered and turned to look, his relief grew when her face dropped from derisive to confusion as she spies the off track road that was leading through the middle of the forest.

"That wasn't there before."

His smile nearly splits his face, made even more so by the wolf, as it steps out onto the track. It looks at them for a few seconds before yipping.

"I think he wants us to follow him down."

"How do you know it's a he?" He shrugs. He doesn't - it just looks like a male and shrugging once more she rolls her eyes, she may no longer have felt like he was moronic for following a wild wolf who might have just be that tad bit smarter than his other fellow canines. But that didn't mean he still wasn't leading them possibly to their deaths.

"Well – go big or go home as they say…" She flicks the indicator before turning left as she drives the car off the main road and onto the new one. The wolf yips again and took off trotting up ahead, "Or in this case, get lost and possibly die."

They slowly make their way up the track – the wolf having gone back to running through the trees, August looks to his right and smiles as he spots the sight that further makes him believe that he was right to have trusted to animal.

"Look."

Turning to see what he was staring at, she couldn't help but smile at the sight of the sea. The large body of water that symbolized the growing hope and excitement that had crept its way into their chests. They make sure to keep sight of the wolf that was slipping in and out of sight as they follow the narrow strip of road that seemed to stretch for miles in front of them.

With the fact that nothing was in sight. She was all for speeding up, maybe it would take less time if she simply ignored the limits – there were no cops around after all that would pull her over and she was just about to shift the clutch looking down when she heard him breath in sharply.

She lifted her head as her eyes widened. Coming to a sharp stop, she ignored the slight dig of the belt that dug into her chest as she stepped on the brake.

"Holy fuck."

He didn't reply. Simply nodded as they both looked on to what they could see in the distance – the small town that had not been in sight seconds before as she gazes to the tops of the buildings before looking a little closer to the sign just up ahead.

"Welcome to Storybrooke."

This was it. After spending years searching. So many countless hours going from place to place - from one dead end to the other in the vain hopes of finding something… it all ended today.

None of them spoke as they read the sign for the second time. The more they read the words the more it sunk in… they had finally made it.

She was going to find her family. She was going to see her best friend again – they were so close now she knew it was silly as before she couldn't, but now it was almost like she could feel them close by.

"Well it would appear white fang was better than any map we could have worked out." He casts a glance to her, it may have sounded snarky but the smile cancelled out any dryness she might have spoken… she was just excited to have found the one place that had been lost to them for so long, they both where.

He could see his dad again. Get the curse removed and once more be a solid flesh and blood man…

She could finally see her family – the two people who meant more to her than anything.

Looking behind he frowns as he doesn't see the wolf anywhere, it had vanished. "Where did he go?"

She looked at him before glancing fleetingly over her shoulder to try and find the furry canine. But she too couldn't find him, even with her eyesight and so shrugged.

"Maybe he went back home or something." He eyed the small clearing trying to see any traces of him but it was like he was never there and so pursed his lips wondering. But before he could dwell any more, Regina had shifted the clutch down once more and without waiting started driving forwards, she wasn't wasting any more time and so left the fact that the wolf had gone behind.

They drive downwards past the first building and onwards as they take in the sight of the town that was stuck underneath the curse.

"Where's the first stop."

He looked around before catching sight of the diner sign above the building a couple of feet ahead and nodded his head. "There."

She looked to see what he was aiming at and tilted her head before snorting lightly "How quaint." As she slowly brought the car to a slow before finally parking. None of them speak for a moment, the weight of just where they were hitting as now the fact they had made it to their destination brought a new set of issues to face.

"Well… we didn't come all this way just to take in the fresh air," He smirked lightly before nodding. He had to do this… needed to do this and so following her already out the car, he made his way round to the front as he peers at the diner in front of them.

Without any more preamble he reaches for the door first as he holds it open before walking in behind her, the bell above told the patrons of their arrival. They freeze on seeing the looks of the many faces inside. Glancing around she can see a mixture of the eyes taking them in.

Curious to the puzzlement… one short man sitting at the counter giving them what she could only describe as a sceptical glance, why would he be doing that? A small squeeze on her elbow had her turning to see August moving past her and into the nearest empty booth. She moves to join him and slides across from his seat.

They take the next few minutes to rest and gather their thoughts before shuffling had August looking to see a young brunette smiling pleasantly at them.

"Good afternoon,"

He smiled lightly and nodded. Regina lifted her hand a little her eyes still closed. The waitress looks at her for a few seconds before shaking off the slight abrasive way of greeting as she spoke again.

"Can't say I've seen you here before, passing through?"

At that Regina opens her eyes as she lifts her head back from the rest to look at him. They had made it this far without having to give too much of a story as to their destination, but now they were here what could they say? It wasn't as if they were leaving anytime soon.

"Actually visiting my father," He speaks before she can, turning to the other woman who smiles wider. "It's been a while so I thought… well; _we_ thought we would pay him a visit."

"Oh that's sweet, anyone I might know?" He paused at that, Regina scrunched her nose at the nosiness of the younger woman as he tries to think of something. He knew his father's name back in the forest – everyone knew of him, but here he hadn't a clue of what his cursed name might be and so hesitates in answering,

The waitresses smile dips a little on seeing his face as her eyes narrow slightly. He's starting to worry when loud coughing had them both looking to see Regina holding her chest. The raven haired woman is holding the side of the table and her other hand over where her lungs would be as she coughs louder.

Her coughs garner some attention as a few of the customers turn to look as the younger brunette moves quickly to help. "Miss, are you ok."

Lowering her head she holds up her hand in a bid to wave her off but from her lashes August can see a clear pointed look sent his way, and all at once he knew what she was doing as he catches on to her plan and looks back to the concerned worker.

"Could she get some water please? Sometimes this happens and she left her inhaler in the car." Turning to him she sees his brows slightly arched and nods once more, made certain by the extra loud wheeze Regina emits.

"Yes… of course." Before turning and rushing to the back he watches her go as slowly he nods and her coughs get weaker before ceasing altogether, she lifts her head slightly a thoughtful look now taking over the panicked one second's ago as she looks at him.

"That is a good question; do you actually know anything about this town before we arrived?"

He scowls a little before shifting in his seat. aware of the others still watching he shakes his head a little and makes to speak before she can react.

"No, but I do know that Emma is defiantly here… that she needs our help in breaking this curse before whoever cast it finds out what our plan is."

Both slightly annoyed and weirdly bemused, she arches her brow before shaking her head. "I'm sorry – us? There is no us when it comes to breaking this thing."

On seeing his confused look she carries on or is about to when the waitress come's rushing back, water in hand as she reaches their table. Giving him one more look she places her hand back on her chest and the other at her throat just as the younger woman moves to her again.

"Here."

Holding out the water Regina gives her a grateful look and accepts the glass. Now that she knows he didn't really have a game plan she felt in the mood for something much stronger, but had to drink what was given as under watch by the brunette who had not taken her eyes off her until she removes the glass from her lips.

"Better?"

Not speaking Regina nods giving her another smile as she places the glass down. "Much. Thank you." The other woman nods happily as August goes to speak – now that her first train of conversation was cut short thanks to the distraction it's easy for him to move on as he places his order before Regina follows suit and watches as she leaves.

"I'm not sure if I was clear in my intentions when I found you those many years ago, we may have wanted to find the town… but for very different reasons. I merely to find my family, whilst it's clear you only wanted to find it for personal reasons… if helping the saviour fixes that, then it is on you – to help her along the way, not I."

He stared at her in silence at her revelation. She sips her water not perturbed by the pissed look he was giving her until he sighed. He knew he should have expected this. She had been adamant from the start she had no interest in Emma anyway shape or form, so helping her was out of the question entirely.

But what to do – she had a deeper knowledge then he did on curses and it would have made it easier for him if she did help… but it was plain to see they had their own agendas – and on reaching the town they split down a path. He knew they would still be sticking together for a little while as they figured the town out– but for now – his task of getting Emma to destroy the curse was down to him.

He nodded conceding to the fact she wouldn't be helping as she smiled, happy that they had that out the way. Their food arrives a little while later and they make small talk – now they were here, they needed a place to stay as he didn't know how long it would take for Emma to break the curse, he also had no idea how she would react to seeing him again.

It had been quite a few years and knowing the blonde like he did. She would be suspicious off the bat. It wasn't like he was a legit professional of anything after all, he was a con artist through and through and so once she got wind of him having made his way to town – the same one she happened to be in after a lengthy absence… it was bound to cause more problems than he needed.

What he needed to do was find someplace cheap and make a start on his plans. If he couldn't let Emma see him yet then he would have to work around the blonde, starting with her son – if he could make good with him and get him thinking, then maybe it would give him the time to figure out how he was going to reveal himself without getting kicked out of town.

He glanced at Regina, who was picking apart her garlic bread and wondered what her plans would be – she hadn't been exactly forthright with her own intentions – he knew she wanted to find her family but she was as sneaky as him most days so figured this would be one of the few times she would be with him before going off on her own.

He was also curious as to how she would act when she came face to face with the other woman. All she knew was that Emma had to be here to break the curse, but she had assumed the blonde would arrive on her own time… she never asked the specifics on how that was to be of course as she didn't care.

It wasn't like he had told her either – so was a little apprehensive when she would learn that the saviour had in fact reached the town before them. She also wasn't the best when keeping discrete about her dislike of those around her, and having been very clear on her thoughts of Emma. He was torn between wanting to be there so he could stop her from giving the game away before she was ready as more than likely she would be verbally abusing the blonde, or far away so her ire didn't turn on him on the realization that he must have known and deliberately kept it to himself.

He sighed internally and placed another bite in his mouth. Between the pain in his body, the lack of solid plans and a very tentative minefield across from him – he really wanted to just get some rest. Once they had finished eating the split the bill before getting ready to leave- there had to be an inn around here and so stood, ready to leave just as the waitress walks back to them.

"Was everything to your liking?"

They look at her before nodding. She smiles widely before taking back the menus and the money he hands over to her. She steps out of the way so Regina can leave the seat still watching as they pick up their jackets, reaching the door first, she looks back to find him looking around the bar before back to the waiting server.

"You wouldn't happen to know any inns do you? It's just that it's late and knowing my dad he will probably be in bed." He smiles sheepishly, giving her a half grin that most women have found charming as she takes in his disarming smile and nods.

"W… H… Yes… I mean – yes, I do know where one is." She laughs a little nervously as Regina rolls her eyes, her hand lingering on the door as she inhales deeply. They look back to her as he tilts his head a little before shaking it and looking back at the younger woman who is still looking at him.

"If you could tell us we would be grateful." He smiles again keeping her silent as he waits. It takes a few seconds but soon she realizes he asked a question and stands straighter and nods once more.

"Of course." Turning her head she looks to wall for something before looking back. Her mouth splitting smile in place as she replies. "Here."

He looks around at her answer wondering if she was replying to something else when she carried on. "Grannies is a B&B as well as a diner, it actually is lucky we have a few rooms left so if you like I could tell her… she's in the back."

A little stunned at the sudden fact he is silent for a few seconds before finding his voice and nodding. "Please, if that is alright."

She smiles before turning and walks to the back in the kitchen, to speak to the owner of the diner as Regina moves to stand by him. "Well, if that isn't just convenient… perhaps this town is built on wishes as well as curses."

He turns to look at her just as she returns still smiling with the news that Granny would be happy to have them stay. Regina looks to the closed door of the kitchen. It hadn't escaped her that the name Granny was what Agnes was called back in the forest. A nickname of endearment she and Ruby had gotten used to calling her that many a time and so wondered if it was the same person.

She hoped so as that would make her searching so much easier, if Granny was around then chances are Ruby wasn't too far away… at least that was her theory as they quickly got themselves two rooms before she moved back to the door, this time to get the bags from her car leaving him to pay.

She never did see the matron of the business as the younger woman showed them to their rooms but she had time. Bidding him goodnight and handing him his bags she sank onto the bed once in her room and relished the comfort of the mattress. The day had been long but at long last she was here.

Smiling to no one she allowed the fact to sink in… she had made it – somewhere in this town, Maleficent was and soon she would see her. Looking to the door of the bathroom she debated on a shower but the tiredness that had been kept at bay suddenly took over and was there to stay. So she got changed into her shirt and shorts before moving under then sheets.

Now that they were here she hoped that the rest of her plan went much quicker as she closed her eyes. Finding the blonde was only one half of her goal, she had other issues that needed sorting that didn't just involve figuring out what happened to her family.

She also wanted to know how to get her magic back – and to let the dragon out.

It had been hell - twenty eight years to be exact. On not being able to change, it had left her not only feeling partly empty but also racked with pains that had her crippled at times… much like August but she didn't know whose was worse. She hoped being here would give her the answers she needed to be able to change that as she settled down into the sheets.

For the first time since coming to the land without magic, she slowly drifted asleep content with the knowledge that soon her waiting would be over.

This time for good.


End file.
